BEHIND THE PLOW: Alternatives to rice

MALUNGON, Sarangani (MindaNews / 27 Nov) – The 4,800,000 hectares of irrigated and non-irrigated rice land produce an average of 20,446,500 metric tons of palay per year. Less 17% field and storage waste, the net annual palay production is 17,062,604 metric tons. At average milling recovery rate of 60% that is 10,237,562 metric tons milled rice.

Filipinos waste 384,000 metric tons of milled rice per year. That leaves 9,853,562 metric tons for consumption annually.

Each of the 119,100,000 Filipinos consumes 136 kgs of rice per year or a total requirement 16,197,600 metric tons of milled rice.

That is an annual shortage of 6,344,037 metric tons of milled rice. That is why there is a need to import rice.

With low irrigation rate, conversion of rice land (700,000 hectares as of 2023) to other uses and a population increasing at 1.53% per year, rice sufficiency is a pipe dream. Sad but true.

Substitute for rice

Given the above data, the country will most likely experience rice shortage into the foreseeable future. Maybe forever. In fact, the Philippines is the biggest importer of rice in the world, projected to import 4.9 million MT in 2025, valued in excess of USD2.1 billion. Plenty of money for rice importers and their friends in government.

It may be bad for the interest of rice importers, many of whom have protectors in high places, but what seems like the logical direction is for government to seriously support the development of alternatives to rice. Government must provide the funds, research, mechanism and organization on a sustained basis for such a program.

It will not only save the country millions in US dollars but it will also provide economic opportunities for farmers.

Rice, while loaded with other nutritional benefits, is basically a source for carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are our energy driver. Our body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose or blood sugar which is the main source of energy for our body’s cells, tissues, and organs.

There are at least three local grains in mind. White corn, adlai and millet.

White corn or “Tinigib”

White corn is an old, traditional crop, especially among the Visayans and the indigenous peoples of Mindanao.

In fact, white corn is healthier than white rice because it has more fiber, riboflavin, potassium, and fewer carbs. Corn is richer in dietary fiber, fats and protein. It has vitamin B2 and A, C, and K which rice lacks entirely. It has lower glycemic and insulin index values

Unfortunately, corn is perceived as the grain only the poor eat. Cooked corn grit is also harder than rice.

Adlai

Adlai is an ancient crop, also known as Job’s tears due to its teardrop shape. It has high protein, medium fat, and low sugar content. It has anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, blood sugar-lowering, and blood lipid-lowering effects.

It has been a minor grain crop grown in upland areas by the indigenous people of Mindanao. It is a hardy crop and tolerates dry periods. It is suited to mildly cool upland climate.

Cooked adlai grain has a subtle flavor and chewy texture that is similar to rice, but with a slightly nutty taste. Due to its medicinal properties and scarcity of supply, milled adlai costs P150 – P200 per kg retail price.

Millet

Millet is one of the oldest cultivated grains in the world. While there are many varieties, “kabog” millet is the most grown and consumed in the country, especially in the Visayas region.

It is rich in niacin which is important for healthy skin and organ function. It also has beta-carotene that helps fight free radicals and supports the immune system. It has low-glycemic index (GI) that helps control blood sugar, soluble and non-soluble fiber and non-starchy polysaccharides

It is a good source of magnesium which may prevent heart failure, full of tannins, phytates, and phenols that help protect cells against damage and potential diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

There are other sources of carbohydrates like sweet potato, cassava, potatoes, even banana. We will discuss more in the next article.

Shifting Away from Rice

Rice is the main source of carbohydrates for most Filipinos. For reasons of taste, lack of knowledge, lack of supply and even cultural bias (corn and camote are eaten by poor people only) prevent more Filipinos from shifting to healthier sources of carbohydrates.

Government should take serious and sustained action to educate Filipinos to widen their sources of carbohydrates, support and improve the cultivation of alternative grains, and research how to improve the taste and preparation as to make these more palatable to Filipinos.

Like bread from corn and millet flour. Like corn grit of southern US. Or the African millet porridge.

It will not be an easy task. And rice importers and their cohorts in government will resist it. But the benefits of saving millions and to the health of the Filipinos should be incentives enough to do so. It will also open economic opportunities for the farmers.

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Edmundo Y. Cejar is a regenerative farming practitioner and a natural reforestation advocate. Before shifting to farming, he worked for Dutch Philips Discrete Semiconductors, Gillette, Union Carbide and Davao Fruits.)