Food Security amidst Covid19

When news of the presence of the Covid19 virus in the country broke out, nobody was prepared for it. The initial reaction of most is to troop to the groceries and buy as much food as possible in preparation for the lock down being implemented in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus.

The country is in a turmoil. The lock down implemented in the capital city resulted to an exodus of people trying to get home to their respective provinces. Plans to secure the most vulnerable sectors of the society were put into effect. The goal is to provide food while work and other activities in the metro are suspended.

A few days into the lock down, news of farmers throwing out their produce because no one is buying broke into the internet and television. While most of the provisions being distributed constituted mainly of rice, canned goods and noodles, the farmers are in a dilemma where to sell their harvest. Seeing the plight of the farmers, some groups of netizens decided to help out by buying the produce and bringing it to the metro. Some leaders took notice and followed suit. Instead of just distributing rice and canned goods, they started buying produce from the farmers and included it in their goods.

Our country is primarily agricultural so it’s tragic to see farmers throwing out their harvests because no one would buy it or because the price is so low. At a time like this, every resource is important, considering that there are many people who could not even afford to eat simply because they do not have the means to buy.

While we are trying to cope with this pandemic, mother nature is also healing and giving back more resources than ever. Just the other day, I saw a post showing fishermen with a bounty of harvest from the sea. As I see it, the problem we face is how to transport these products to those provinces that need it. Maybe if the LGUs or our Department of Agriculture would buy these products and distribute them to the communities, there will be no wastage and shortage of food. DA should focus on acquiring goods from the local farmers instead of importing them from our neighboring countries.

We could also do our share by making use of idle lands in our properties. It has long been encouraged that every household should plant vegetables and fruits in their backyard. There are also community gardens where anyone can harvest. These are well-intentioned projects but there is no continuity. These gardens are tended only in the first few weeks and then they are left to rot.

There is no certainty when this pandemic will end. But the DA thru their local counterparts has started an initiative of distributing fast-growing vegetable seeds to anyone willing to start a backyard garden. So while we are required to stay at home, why not start planting to make productive use of your time? Who knows, before the lock down is over, you may already be reaping what you sowed.