Corn is the second most important crop in the Philippines. About 14 million Filipinos prefer white corn as their main staple and yellow corn accounts for about 50% of livestock mixed feeds. Some 600,000 farm households depend on corn as a major source of livelihood, in addition to transport services, traders, processors and agricultural input suppliers who directly benefit from corn production, processing, marketing and distribution.
Corn is also processed into high value products, such as cornstarch, corn syrups, corn oil, gluten and snack foods.
Overall strategy is to fast track the expansion of hybrid corn, cassava and other feed crops production to achieve food and feed self-sufficiency, enhance the competitiveness of the domestic livestock and poultry sectors through cheaper feed inputs as well as generate jobs in rural communities.
CORN PROGRAM’S GOAL
Increase production of quality corn and cassava for human consumption, feeds and industrial uses, as well as empower the farmers and increase their income, thereby improving their quality of life.
CORN PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
Continue in promoting the utilization and health benefits of white corn grains and expand the market for high quality white corn grits to help ease the pressure on rice demand
Continue in promoting productivity-enhancing and cost-reducing measures/technologies to aid corn and cassava farmers gain better income
Increase production per hectare from 6.17 t/ha – 6.54 t/ha for yellow, 2.35 t/ha – 2.56 t/ha for white corn & 16.25 t/ha – 20.0 t/ha for cassava fresh roots.
Increase yearly income of farmer’s by 10% per hectare
Total Land Area Agricultural Land Area Corn Production Areas White YellowPopulation Provinces Cities Congressional Districts Municipalities Barangays Economic Zones |
: : : : : : : : : : : : |
2,201,463 has. 552,104 has. 43,535 has. 11,149 has. 32,386 has 10,352,326
7
14 21 116 3,102 2 |
PROGRAM COMPONENTS
Production Support Services
- Support to Cassava
- Planting Materials Distribution
- Biological Control
- Trichogramma Production
- Earwig Production Program
- Pest & Disease Surveillance & Control Program
- Pilot Farm Mechanization and Tractor Pool (Corn & Cassava)
- National & Regional Field Monitoring (Corn & Cassava)
Market Development Services
- Market Development & Support
- Market Matching Projects
Irrigation Support Services
- Open Source Pump
Postharvest Development Services
- Post Harvest Facilities (85 : 15 scheme)
- Combined Harvester
- Mechanical Sheller
- Vertical Dryer
- Cassava Dryer (1t/hr input capacity)
- Cassava Granulator cum Shredder
Extension Support, Education & Training
Farmer Education Training
- Techno Demo
- Tipid-Abono
- Cassava Techno Demo
- Farmers Field School (FFS)
- Entrepreneurial (Corn Husk Handicraft) Training
- Post Harvest Technology Promotion, Extension and Training
- Technical Briefings
- Cassava Training and other meetings
- Cassava Livelihood Training (for food)
Research and Development
- Farmers’ Participatory Tech. Dev’t. Program
- Research and Development for Cassava
Contact information:
DA-RFO 3 City of San Fernando, Pampanga
(045) 961 1560
darfu3_corn@yahoo.com