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Leveraging agriculture to improve nutrition in the Philippines

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DOI: 10.1007/s12571-013-0306-4

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Leveraging agriculture to improve nutrition
in the Philippines

Oscar B. Zamora, Lucille Elna P. de

Guzman, Sue Liza C. Saguiguit,
Ma. Theresa M. Talavera & Normahitta
P. Gordoncillo
Food Security
The Science, Sociology and Economics
of Food Production and Access to Food

ISSN 1876-4517
Volume 5
Number 6

Food Sec. (2013) 5:873-886

DOI 10.1007/s12571-013-0306-4

1 23
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1 23
 Author's personal copy
Food Sec. (2013) 5:873–886
DOI 10.1007/s12571-013-0306-4

CASE STUDY

Leveraging agriculture to improve nutrition in the Philippines

Oscar B. Zamora & Lucille Elna P. de Guzman & Sue Liza C. Saguiguit &
Ma. Theresa M. Talavera & Normahitta P. Gordoncillo

Received: 30 July 2013 / Accepted: 2 October 2013 / Published online: 26 October 2013
# Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht and International Society for Plant Pathology 2013

Abstract The typical Filipino diet mainly consists of rice, promotion and ‘messaging’; use of catchy terms for easy
fish and vegetables, with rice being the greatest source of recall; availability of sustainable funding; use of the life cycle
calories. The consumption of a maize, starchy roots and tubers approach in nutrition; holistic community nutrition perspec-
as rice substitutes or supplements, and vegetables and fruits tive; practice and promotion of biodiversity-based agricultural
has generally declined, while the consumption of fats, oils and production system; and control of the means of production.
meats has increased. Stunting is the most prevalent form of
malnutrition among Filipinos. Vitamin A Deficiency, Iodine Keywords Nutrition-sensitive agriculture . Nutrition
Deficiency Disorder, and Iron Deficiency Anemia remain security . Policy environment . Food production .
public health problems for children and pregnant and lactating Home gardens
women. The link between nutrition and agriculture in the
Philippines has focused on leveraging agriculture to improve
nutrition. The programs that had been initiated by the govern- Introduction
ment, NGO/CSO or private sector were conceptualized and
implemented before the elements of a nutrition-sensitive ag- In the Philippines, there has been a number of programs on
riculture framework were identified. These programs were nutrition and sustainable/organic agriculture that were imple-
implemented to address food production and the nutritional mented at different scales, from small communities to the
needs of individuals, families, and communities only with national level. These were implemented by government agen-
reference to nutrition security. Many of these programs have cies and non-government organizations/civil society organi-
been successful as they implemented best practices that could zations (NGOs/CSOs). The programs, which are the basis of
be applied to forge a superior approach that optimizes the this paper, were all implemented primarily to address food
agriculture-nutrition nexus. This study identified these best production and the nutritional needs of individuals, families
practices or elements of success. The elements that have been and communities with only cursory reference to nutrition
noted as reasons for the success of some of these programs are: security. Hence, when the programs described in this paper
presence of strong political will and enabling policy environ- were conceptualized and implemented, the nutrition and agri-
ment; forging of new forms of partnerships, strategic collabo- culture nexus had not yet been conceptualized, and even the
ration, sound coordination and structures; exploiting the best stated objectives of some of the projects were not or at best
that science and technology could offer; democratizing com- only indirectly related to nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
munity participation; strong capacity building component and Fortunately, there were a number of nutrition-sensitive
access to reliable technical expertise; knowledge and sensitiv- agriculture-related programs in the Philippines that had
ity to local cultures, beliefs and practices; professionalized achieved some level of success in improving the quantity
and diversity of food intake and nutritional status of children
and their families. Initially, 19 programs were identified to
O. B. Zamora (*) : L. E. P. de Guzman : S. L. C. Saguiguit : provide a general description of the existing nutrition and
M. T. M. Talavera : N. P. Gordoncillo
agriculture programs in the country. Of this number, only 9
University of the Philippines Los Banos,
College, Laguna, Philippines were considered and their facilitating factors and ‘good prac-
e-mail: [email protected] tices’ expounded in the hope that such information will
 Author's personal copy
874 O.B. Zamora et al.

contribute to identifying appropriate scientific support pro- by various forms of malnutrition, such as underweight,
grams and enabling policies for nutrition-sensitive agriculture. underheight or stunting, and wasting or thinness. In the 2011
These programs were considered to have achieved a certain anthropometric survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition
level of success based on the following: Research Institute of the Department of Science and
Technology (FNRI-DOST 2012) among 0–5 year-old chil-
a) There are available reports/documents that show indica-
dren, the national prevalence rates for stunting, underweight
tions of improved nutrition through any or all of the
and wasting were 33.6, 20.2 and 7.3 %, respectively (Table 1),
following: increased production and availability of nutri-
indicating that in the Philippines, stunting is the most
tious and safe foods (e.g., vegetables), increased diversity,
prevalent indicator of malnutrition. The regions with the
improved quality and quantity of food intake;
highest prevalence of stunting are ARMM1 at 43.5 %,
b) There is wide adoption of the nutrition-sensitive agricul-
SOCCSKSARGEN2 at 42.6 %, and Zamboanga Peninsula
ture intervention, i.e., the project is scaled up and/or
at 42.2 %. The provinces in Mindanao mostly exhibited “very
scaled out; the program was adopted in part (with some
high” (≥40 %) magnitude and severity of stunting.
modifications) or in full by other groups in their develop-
The same survey report showed that the magnitude and
ment work; and
severity of underweight among 0–5 year-old children, based
c) The project is sustained, i.e., the partners (farmers or
on the World Health Organization (WHO) cut-off point for
communities) continue the intervention even after its
public health significance, is generally high (20–29 %) among
termination.
all provinces particularly in Camarines Norte, Capiz,
The paper is organized as follows: the first section describes Guimaras, Siquijor and Basilan. The regions with the highest
the nutrition situation in the Philippines and provides prevalence of underweight are ARMM (26.2 %), Eastern
the context for the various programs reviewed and analyzed Visayas (25.7 %), and Bicol (25.3 %) (Fig. 1). Wasting or
for this paper. The section on “Policy environment”, describes thinness, which indicates the current nutritional status, was
the enabling national policy, as well as the implementing found to be generally poor in all regions, with Cagayan Valley
mechanisms that had contributed to the success of some of (10.5 %), MIMAROPA3 (10.5 %) and ARMM (10.05 %)
the projects. The section entitled “Case studies” provides recording the highest prevalence rates.
specific government and NGO/CSO-initiated programs and At present, the prevalence of overnutrition, which has
describes the indications of improved nutrition and the scale steadily increased for the past two decades, is lower than the
of adoption of the programs. This section also includes crop prevalence of undernutrition. In the latest survey report re-
breeding initiatives which describe three cases (sweet potato, leased by the FNRI (2012), the prevalence of overweight
corn and rice) of crop breeding initiatives in nutrition-sensitive children rose by more than three-fold from 1.0 % in 1989 to
agriculture. The section on “Facilitating factors contributing to 4.3 % in 2011.
successful nutrition-sensitive agriculture” elaborates on the Based on the 2008 National Nutrition Survey, Vitamin A
reasons and factors for successes at the national, community Deficiency (VAD) remained a public health problem for chil-
and program levels. Finally, the key lessons learned in the dren aged 6 months to 5 years in all regions of the Philippines.
programs and action points for policy-makers, scientists/ Likewise, the same survey pointed out to an increased
researchers, development workers, and funding agencies are prevalence of Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD), although not
highlighted. at the levels of public health significance among children. The
same cannot be said among pregnant and lactating women,
whose iodine levels were found to be below the recommended
Philippine context of nutrition levels of the WHO (Table 2). Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA)
was also found to affect 56 % of 6–11 month-old infants; 20 %
The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7000 islands of 6–12 year-old children; 42 % of pregnant women; and 31 %
situated in Southeast Asia, with a land area of almost 300, of lactating women (NNC 2012).
000 km2. The primary political and administrative divisions of Data on dietary intakes reflect the food consumption habits
the Philippines are the provinces that are further subdivided of households and individuals. Hence, household level data
into component cities and municipalities. At present, there are serves as a proxy indicator on the food intake of 0–23 month-
80 provinces in the country and 116 cities that are autonomous old children and the mothers as subjects of interest. The mean
from the provincial governments. The smallest administrative daily per capita energy intake increased from 7,551 kJ in 1978
entity is the Barangay (village).
As of July 2011, the estimated total population was at 103, 1
Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao
775,002, with an annual growth rate of 1.9 %. Total fertility 2
South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Saranggani, and General
rate was 3.15/woman and average life expectancy was Santos City
3
71.9 years. Filipino adults and children continue to be afflicted Mindoro Occidental and Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan
 Author's personal copy
Nutrition and agriculture nexus in the Philippines 875

Table 1 Undernutrition among 0–5 year old children, 2003–2011 Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN). The NNC,
Indicator of undernutrition Prevalence (%) composed of a governing board (GB) and a secretariat, for-
mulates the PPAN and is the main coordinator for all nutrition-
2003 2005 2008 2011 related activities of both government and private sectors. The
GB is the policymaking body of the NNC and is composed of
Stunting 33.8 33.1 32.3 33.6
10 government agencies and three representatives from the
Underweight 20.7 20.2 20.7 20.2
private sector. The members of the GB are the department
Wasting 6.0 5.8 6.9 7.3
secretaries (Agriculture; Health; Education, Culture and
Source: FNRI-DOST 2012 Sports; Science and Technology; Trade and Industry;
Economic Planning; Social Welfare and Development;
Interior and Local Government; Budget and Management;
to 7,974 kJ in 2003, which implies that the energy density of Labor and Employment) and three representatives from
the Filipino diet is increasing (Pedro et al. 2006). The typical NGOs. The GB is assisted by a Technical Committee (TC)
Filipino diet mainly consists of rice, fish and vegetables, with that is composed of heads of major department bureaus and
cereals remaining as the greatest source of calories. Within the agencies involved in nutrition, and selected NGOs. Its func-
food group of cereals, the intake of rice and its products tions are to provide technical assistance to the Board and
generally has not changed; however, the consumption of Secretariat and to facilitate inter- and intra-agency coordina-
maize generally declined. The intake of starchy roots and tion, supervision and monitoring, and implementation of nu-
tubers was half as much in 2003 as in 1978. However, the trition policies and programs. In the TC, the academe is also
intake of soft drinks increased by 150 % in 2003 from that in represented by the membership of the Barangay Integrated
1993; the intake of fats and oil increased by 50 %; and meat Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement
and meat products by 79 %. Conversely, the consumption of (BIDANI), an extension program of the Institute of Human
vegetables and fruits showed a declining trend. The mean per Nutrition and Food, University of the Philippines Los Baños
capita intakes of energy, protein, vitamin A, calcium, thia- (IHNF-UPLB) and the Council of Deans and Heads of
mine, riboflavin and niacin increased in 2003 from the levels Nutrition and Dietetics (CODHEND). The Secretariat serves
in 1993. Considering the problems of undernutrition in the as the executive arm of the GB. It advises the GB on matters
Philippines, there is a need to reorient strategies and ap- related to food and nutrition policies, programs and projects as
proaches in agriculture towards nutrition-sensitive agriculture well as providing technical, financial, and logistical support to
to better address the escalating food and nutrition insecurity in local governments and agencies for the development and
the country. implementation of nutrition programs and projects.
The functions and multi-sectoral composition of the NNC
at the national level are replicated at the local levels in the
Policy environment regional, provincial, city, municipal, and barangay (village)
nutrition committees. Their function is to manage and coordi-
The National Nutrition Council (NNC), the country’s highest nate the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
policy-making and coordinating body on nutrition, was created of the local nutrition action plan as a component of the local
with the promulgation of Presidential Decree No. 491 development plan. The local chief executives serve as chairs
(Nutrition Act of the Philippines, 25 June 1974). Through of the committees assisted by the Nutrition Action Officers
the NNC, the Philippine government addresses the nutritional (NAO) who assists the local chief executives on matters and
problems in the country by formulating and implementing the activities related to nutrition and food. At the barangay level

Fig. 1 Prevalence of
underweight-for-age 0–5 years
old children by region, 2011.
(NCR–National Capital Region;
CALABARZON–Cavite,
Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and
Quezon provinces; CAR–
Cordillera Administrative
Region) Source: FNRI-DOST
2012
 Author's personal copy
876 O.B. Zamora et al.

Table 2 Prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies (in percentage) by maternal grouping

Maternal group Iodine deficiency disorder Iron deficiency anemia Vitamin A deficiency

2003 2008 1993 1998 2003 2008 1998 2003 2008

Pregnant women 18.0 25.8 43.6 50.7 43.9 42.5 22.2 17.5 9.5
Lactating women 23.7 34.0 43.0 45.7 42.2 31.4 16.5 20.1 6.4

Source: FNRI-DOST 2010

are the frontline community-based or volunteer workers assets, particularly land and water, markets to enable farmers to
who provide basic nutrition-related services, including pool their outputs and sell to large purchasers, and credit;
growth monitoring and promotion, promotion of home infrastructure development (irrigation, post-harvest facilities,
and community food production and the conduct of nutrition development of ports, construction of farm-to-market roads,
education activities, among others. The GB has recently ap- land and air transport) to ensure equitable distribution of food
proved the PPAN 2011–2016 which was circulated to gover- and stabilization of food prices; establishment of kitchen gar-
nors and mayors by the Department of Interior and Local dens in homes to include small-sized animals all year round;
Government (DILG) through the issue of Memorandum stockpiling of basic commodities to ensure food supply during
Circular No. 2012-89. emergencies; and to pursue policies and programs that will
stabilize the prices of non-food goods (especially fuel) and
Food production as a nutrition intervention The PPAN pro- services.
vides the framework for improving the nutritional status of
Filipinos at the national and local levels. Past versions of the
PPAN identified impact programs that aimed to address the Case studies
malnutrition problem and this has always included home,
community and food production. In an assessment of nutrition The programs presented below were implemented as part of
interventions, it was reported that food production is under- total community development efforts in the country and were
taken to improve food security and is regarded as a long-term initiated by either the government or NGOs/CSOs. Based on
intervention (Tuazon and Briones 1997). PPAN is a direct the reports, there were indications of improved nutrition
nutrition intervention that involves the provision of technical, through any or all of the following: increased production
material, and financial assistance to household and communi- and availability of nutritious and safe foods (e.g., vegetables),
ty food production (in contrast to the more large-scale agri- increased diversity of food, and improved quality and quantity
cultural production programs). Among the projects under this of food intake.
program are vegetable gardening, backyard poultry, swine and
goat raising, and fisheries. The venues for food production Government-initiated programs
were school kitchen gardens, home gardens and community
gardens. The community gardens function as municipal LAKASS (“Lalakas ang Katawang Sapat sa Sustansiya”)
nurseries by providing assistance for the relatively few families and other programs
who, with their small home lots, did not have adequate-sized
home gardens. When implemented, the objective varies from LAKASS means Strong or Strength but as an acronym, it also
providing food to families to enhancing food diversity, inclu- stands for a Filipino statement that means, “The body will
ding promoting the consumption of fruits and vegetables. It become robust and healthy with adequate nutrition” (Stuart
also contributes to household food security by providing direct 1995). LAKASS is a community-based nutrition action
access to food that can be harvested, prepared, and fed to program that was implemented in 1989 covering 175 of the
family members. Moreover, initiatives included a component most nutritionally depressed municipalities of the country.
on livelihood or income-generating activities, particularly for Urban LAKASS was implemented in 1990 in Metro Manila,
low-income families. particularly in the cities of Manila and Quezon, and the
The PPAN (2011–2016) continues to recognize food pro- municipalities of Malabon, Marikina, Navotas, and Pateros.
duction as an important strategy in decreasing the percentage The program aimed to improve the nutrition situation in all
of Filipino households with inadequate calorie intake. The nutritionally depressed municipalities that were identified and
following have been identified as action areas: appropriate to provide effective and sustainable services for the community
agriculture, agrarian reform, and trade policies and programs to improve their nutritional status.
that will ensure stable supplies of key food commodities at Improvements in the nutritional status of children have
affordable prices; farmers’ access to knowledge and innovation, been reported, i.e., a significant decrease in the prevalence of
 Author's personal copy
Nutrition and agriculture nexus in the Philippines 877

underweight, stunting, and wasting by 16 %, 21 %, and 16 %, increasing incidence of hunger. As long as the child goes to
respectively (Ismail et al. 1998). In addition, the improved school every school day, the family is assured of staple food
economic condition of family beneficiaries was found to relate on their table. The Teacher-Child–Parent (TCP) approach is an
to the increase in their annual income by 3 % and the im- innovative method of disseminating basic health and nutrition
proved diversity of foods consumed. concepts involving spontaneous interaction between and
In order to boost the government’s food security program among teachers, pupils and parents. The TCP approach to
and at the same time generate employment for the poor, urban school health and nutrition utilizes an innovative relay system
vegetable gardens and backyard fisheries were also set up in to strengthen the carry-over of what the child has learned and
vacant lots and unused government lands, among other places. mastered in school to the home, thus promoting the sharing of
This was mandated through Executive Order (EO) 776, also messages and skills with the other members of the family. Under
known as “Rolling out the Backyard Food Production this scheme, health and nutrition messages presented in the
Programs in the Urban Areas” signed on January 16, 2009 classroom are relayed through the children to the parents who
by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The food pro- are expected to eventually put these messages into practice at
duction campaign was established as part of the Comprehensive home. Home activities are designed in TCP approach modules,
Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) guides and workbooks to assure the participation of parents/
that includes the “Gulayan ng Masa” (Vegetable Garden of family in health and nutrition experiences. This approach to
the Masses) and the Integrated Services for Livelihood learning is done through curricular and co-curricular activities.
Advancement (ISLA) for subsistence fishers. In the early part of 2012, the Department of Education
(DepEd), in cooperation with the “Oh My Gulay!” (Oh My
School-based food production programs Veggies; OMG) advocacy program, started to expand its
vegetable garden project called “Gulayan sa Paaralan”
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is implementing the (School Gardens) in public schools to address malnutrition,
School Nutrition Program (SNP) aimed to address the mal- which affects one in every three school children. The OMG
nutrition problem affecting school children (Cariaga 2007). program was established because, in spite of the abundance of
The SNP has various components such as school feeding, common vegetables that grow all year round, Filipinos rank
food assistance, nutritional assessment, food production, lowest in vegetable consumption among Southeast Asians.
development of information, education and communication The FNRI-DOST reported that 26 % of children 6–10 years
(IEC) materials, health and environmental sanitation, and old or about 1.8 million school children are underweight;
nutrition education. 33 % of children 6–10 years old or about 1.2 million school
The School Milk Program (SMP) provides liquid or pow- children are stunted or short for their age; and 20 % of children
dered milk to Grade I pupils in selected schools nationwide for 6–12 years old are anemic. The programme plans to address
120 days during the school year while the Breakfast Feeding the problem of hidden hunger among school children on the
Program (BFP) provides fortified noodles and biscuits, also presumption that growing vegetables in school gardens will
for 120 days, to Grade I pupils in the 5th and 6th class help more children to get better nutrition. With vegetables in
municipalities nationwide. The BFP is a response to the their diet, children will then become more physically and
problem of “short-term-hunger syndrome” among public ele- mentally alert, better able to cope with school work, and grow
mentary school children who go to school without having had to be successful individuals.
breakfast. The feeding activity is utilized as a venue for health To scale up “Gulayan sa Paaralan”, the DepEd provided
and nutrition education and values development, as well. On funds to start a school garden to cover the cost of seeds,
the other hand, the Applied Nutrition Program (ANP) is a self- fertilizer, garden tools and farm implements, farmer’s huts,
help feeding effort that is managed and sustained by the nurseries, and fencing in all of the country’s 42,076 public
school together with the parents and the community. Thirty- elementary and high schools. At present 15 % of public
five percent (35 %) of canteen funds and some of the produce schools in the country with 1.8 million students are involved
of the food production program are used to support the feeding in the “Gulayan sa Paaralan” project.
activity. It focuses on the improvement of the nutritional status As the implementing partner of OMG, the East West Seed
of underweight Grade I to VI pupils through the provision of (EWS), a private seed company, provides technical expertise
indigenous food supplements side by side with the develop- in modern vegetable farming and monitors the school gardens
ment of positive health and nutrition values. throughout the year. EWS is also the source of all the vegeta-
The Food for School is a food subsidy package for young ble seeds being planted in some 6,000 public elementary and
learners and their families by providing 1 kg of rice daily for high schools covered by the OMG project (Mendez and
120 days per school year. This is part of the Accelerated Ronda 2011). Even if this represents only 15 % of all public
Hunger Mitigation Program (AHMP) that receives very large schools in the country, this is a guaranteed market for EWS
funding support from the government to address the vegetable seeds.
 Author's personal copy
878 O.B. Zamora et al.

NGO/CSO-initiated programs Helen Keller International (HKI) Homestead Food

Production (HFP) programme
The number of development-oriented NGOs in the country is
estimated to be between 3,000 and 5,000 (Moshman 2009). Helen Keller International (HKI) implemented the Homestead
A number of these (local and international) are working Food Production Model. It was pilot tested in Bangladesh and
on projects related to nutrition-sensitive agriculture. Some of expanded in Cambodia, Nepal and the Philippines. In the
these projects are discussed below. Philippines, it collaborated with the national government line
agencies, Local Government Units, NGOs/CSOs and local
Bio-intensive gardening (BIG) communities. The HFP programme aimed to:
& Increase the diversity and year-round production of fruits
In 1984, there was an economic crisis in the Philippines and
and vegetables by participating households;
thousands suffered near starvation following the collapse of
& Increase the year-round production of meat, poultry and
the sugar industry. In response, the International Institute of
eggs by participating households;
Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) developed a bio-intensive gar-
& Improve consumption of fruits and vegetables and animal
dening (BIG) program in the Province of Negros Occidental
source foods by members of households involved in the
to increase food availability for Negros islanders. Two
program, through increased production and nutrition-
years after BIG was introduced in 1986, the rate of
related education; and
malnutrition had dropped from 40 % to 25 % (http://
& Improve health and nutrition outcomes of women and
journeytoforever.org/iirr.html).
children in participating households.
BIG is characterized by using a small area (18.6 to 46.5 m2)
for vegetable production using organic fertilizers such as The HFP model works by providing technical assistance,
compost and animal manure and aromatic herbs for pest training, agricultural supplies and management support
control (Gonsalves 1989). The implementation of BIG through local NGO partners to support primarily poor women
in Negros Occidental relied on four levels of training farmers (Talukder et al. 2010).
(http://journeytoforever.org/iirr.html): Between 2003 and 2007, the HFP program was imple-
mented among more than 30,000 households in various pro-
& IIRR trained 150 indigenous garden promoters in the bio-
ject sites across Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal and the
intensive technique.
Philippines. Based on a survey of program and control house-
& The promoters trained their neighbors.
holds in the participating countries before the start of the HFP
& IIRR provided training to other local agencies interested in
program in 2003 (baseline) and after a 3–4 year period of the
BIG.
program implementation (end-line), results showed improve-
& IIRR collaborated with the DepEd to train 1,120 school
ments in household food security by increasing the year-
teachers in BIG techniques. The teachers then set up
round availability and diversity of micronutrient-rich foods
demonstration gardens in 400 schools.
at the household level, by informing optimal nutritional be-
For use by the extension workers, the IIRR developed a havior through nutrition education, and by improving the
package of training materials containing slides, flash cards and economic resources of the participating families (Talukder
brochures. The IIRR training materials emphasized adaptation et al. 2010). Moreover, women had been empowered and
of the gardening technology to the agroecological zone and to had more control over resources and income generated from
cultural and economic conditions, rather than adoption of a set the HFP. The HFP program also reduced night blindness
of defined practices. In addition to the outline of the BIG basic among children.
approach, the description of the three tillage options for
garden beds: double-dig, deep dug and raised bed, was MASIPAG and farmer-led sustainable agriculture (SA)
described. approach
In 2005, IIRR began a ‘BIG Intensification Program’ that
brought the BIG technology, health and nutrition education Established in 1986, MASIPAG stands for “Magsasaka at
directly into the classrooms and compounds of over 100 poor, Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura” or Farmer-
rural schools in the Philippines. IIRR’s BIG program has Scientist Partnership for Agricultural Development. It is a
now reached Bangladesh, Cambodia, Guatemala, India, national network of approximately 35,000 small-scale
Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Nepal and Thailand. Currently, farmers, farmers’ organizations, scientists and NGOs aimed
IIRR is working to expand BIG to 50 schools in Cavite, at improving the quality of life of resource-poor farmers
Philippines by December 2012 (http://www.iirr.org/index. through a farmer-led SA approach. This development ap-
php/programs/big). proach aims for a holistic transformation of people and
 Author's personal copy
Nutrition and agriculture nexus in the Philippines 879

society, thus MASIPAG ranks people’s food needs higher than by planting vegetables and fruits (instead of rice only) and
income or profit. raising livestock; increase their productive capacity by lower-
MASIPAG conducted a nationwide survey in 2007 and ing their farming costs and by building links with buyers. The
2008 among 840 respondents/households equally divided into project also aimed at strengthening the productive capacity
MASIPAG farmers who have fully adopted organic farming, and governance of the agricultural sector through training in
MASIPAG farmers who are still in the conversion process of improved technologies as well as engaging local government
adopting organic farming, and a control group of conventional for increased development funds for agriculture and for safety
farmers. Results show that farmer-led SA can be an important net programs to be institutionalized. It also endeavored to
way forward in the goal of ending hunger because farmers develop the capacity of the government to deliver services to
practicing farmer-led SA are more food secure. the poor and vulnerable groups, and promote the development
Organic farmers were eating an increasingly diverse diet, of better agricultural policies.
particularly 68 % more vegetables, 56 % more fruits, 55 % The projects’ 12,600 beneficiaries were the poorest and
more protein-rich staples and 40 % more meat than in 2000 most vulnerable families in the marginalized areas of 10
(Bachmann et al. 2009). This is an increase of between 2 and provinces covering 30 municipalities and 210 barangays,
3.7 times higher than for conventional farmers and is a reflec- including among others, children who suffer or are at risk of
tion of the diversity of the produce grown on the farm, a more malnutrition and women. Noted improvements at the end of
stable net income, an orientation towards food grown for own the project were the increase in the dietary diversity index
consumption rather than for the market, and changing food from 52.7 to 66.5 which was a result of an additional 14 food
preferences and knowledge about nutrition. items that were added to the diets of the families. The quality
Organic farmers, on average grew 50 % more crop types of food consumption also improved with the inclusion of the
than conventional farmers. The full organic farmers in the following nutritious food items in the top 10: corn (Zea mays),
Visayas used, on average, 51 species; those in Mindanao sweet potato and sweet potato tops, (Ipomoea batatas), bitter
and Luzon used 42 species while the conventional farmers gourd (Momordica charantia ), string beans (Phaseolus
used 36, 28 and 26 species, respectively (Bachmann et al. vulgaris ), okra (Abelmoschus esculentus ), horseradish
2009). Generally, the full organic group cultivated 14–16 (Moringa oleifera), and river spinach (Ipomoea aquatica)
more crops than the conventional farmers. (Plan International and PhilDHRRA 2012).
Sustainable agriculture’s emphasis on increased crop diver- The household coping strategy index decreased from 4.2 to
sity is a key factor in achieving food security and the presence 2.6, indicating that there was reduced incidence of family
of diverse crops on the farm had multiple benefits in alleviating member(s) skipping meals the entire day or reducing food
hunger as well as adding to good environmental and income servings, especially of children, due to food shortage. Thus,
outcomes. A diversified farm means that the risk of crop loss while some household heads still had reduced food servings,
due to pests, diseases, and calamity is minimized as different the other members of the family were able to satisfy their food
crops have different levels of resilience to pest and disease requirements both in terms of quantity and quality as indicated
outbreaks and to extreme climatic events. Crops are also by the household dietary diversity survey.
harvestable throughout the year, thus spreading income and With regard to the seasonal calendar and the number
food sources through different seasons; and with more food of households that experienced food shortage, the months
grown on the farm, farming families are more self-reliant and of adequate household food provisioning index showed
food-secure. an increase from 5 to 7.6 indicating that more families
are reporting adequate food supply than before. Also, the
Plan international and food security number of months with food shortages was reduced from
4 to 2.5 with food shortages concentrated in the months
Plan International implemented an EU-funded project: of June to September. These months are idle time on the
“Productive Capacity Improvement of Civil Society Groups farm or the period between planting and harvest season, and
in the Philippine Agriculture Sector and Establishment of June is the time of the year when school expenditures are
Safety Net Measures against Volatile Food Prices” in 2009– higher.
2011. The project was intended to protect and directly support The improvement of the food and nutrition security status
the small- and medium-sized farms and food-producing of families could be attributed to 35 % increase in the number
groups from the 2008 food crisis where over 2.8 million of households engaged in vegetable production due to the
families or 10 million people had nothing to eat on at least inputs provided by the project and the involvement of the
one day in the first three months of that year. Specifically, the local government which ensured the availability of basic
project aimed to improve food security and nutrition at the services to the project beneficiaries. The 5–20 types of vege-
household level by helping the farmers to diversify produce table crops planted have been the source of additional food for
 Author's personal copy
880 O.B. Zamora et al.

the family where the surplus was sometimes sold for addition- Quality protein maize (QPM)
al income to buy other foods.
Institute of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, University
Crop breeding initiatives and nutrition-sensitive agriculture of the Philippines, Los Banos (IPB-CA, UPLB)
In the Philippines, corn is considered as a secondary staple
Sweet potato to rice. According to the National Nutrition Survey conducted
by FNRI-DOST in 2003, corn-eating regions in the country
Northern Philippines Root Crops Research and Training usually consume this cereal in the form of grits that are
Center (NPRCRTC) produced by milling white corn, giving a product similar to
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) has been one of the top milled rice. Both rice and corn are rich in carbohydrates
five of major food commodities across developing countries although their functional and physicochemical properties
since the 1980s. It is a versatile and nutritious crop, easy to differ. The preference for rice stems from various cultural,
grow, adapted to a wide range of ecological conditions, and economic, and nutritional factors–one of which is the inferior
contains significant amounts of vitamins, minerals and carbo- protein quality of common corn varieties compared to rice
hydrates. Analysis of sweet potato by the FNRI showed that (Panlasigui et al. 2010).
boiled sweet potato roots are almost comparable to rice in CA-IPB, UPLB has developed IPB Var 6, a Quality Protein
terms of energy, carbohydrates and iron but higher in terms of Maize (QPM) (Salazar 2003). This is a white high-breed
total vitamins A and C and calcium. The roots and leaves of flint corn variety that contains the amino acids, lysine and
sweet potato also contain significant quantities of water- tryptophan, thus changing the “protein inadequacy” of maize.
soluble thiamin (B1), part of the daily requirement for ribo- The leveling off in the protein components of rice and corn may
flavin (B2) and niacin. It has also been reported to contain just be the solution to the search for a better alternative to
satisfactory quantities of vitamin E and the leaves are much importation, given the limitation in the country’s rice supply.
richer sources of minerals such as iron, calcium and phospho- Investigating possible benefits of consuming QPM corn may
rus than the roots (Botangen et al. 2002b). give the necessary push to promote the consumption and
The 2001 baseline survey results in Baguio City, La production of this food crop (Panlasigui et al. 2010).
Trinidad, Benguet and Aringay, La Union showed that A study on the glycaemic response to QPM grits shows that
parents are aware of the importance of healthy foods but that ingestion of pure QPM grits resulted in lower blood
there is an apparent gap between awareness and practice. glucose response in healthy subjects compared to milled rice
Their daily diet shows that fewer than 40 % of the children and the rice-corn grits mixture (Panlasigui et al. 2010). This
eat vegetables, fruits and root crops; and food intake is not may be related in part to differences in their dietary fiber
enough to satisfy recommended dietary allowance for composition and physicochemical characteristics. Pure QPM
energy and vitamins. Most children are underweight but corn grits may, therefore, be a more health-beneficial food for
parents are willing to take action to improve their chil- diabetic and hyperlipidemic individuals.
dren’s low consumption of vegetables, fruits and root Nagares et al. (2011) compared a total of nine different rice
crops (Botangen et al. 2002a; Gayao et al. 2005). and corn combinations of IR 72 rice variety (high-amylose
The effect of the 2003 nutrition interventions by the type) combined with IPB Var 6, a QPM white corn. QPM
NPRCRTC showed an improvement in vegetable consump- contains nearly twice as much usable protein that is specifi-
tion at 114 g d−1 and fruit consumption of 65 g d−1 among cally rich in lysine and tryptophan, the two limiting essential
school-age children. However, the reverse was noted among amino acids in rice. Cooking QPM white corn grits with IR 72
the pre-school children where vegetables and fruit consump- rice variety increased the amount of protein, lysine, trypto-
tion decreased. Root crop consumption has been observed to phan, fat, ash, starch, amylose and total fiber content of the
decrease for both groups although potato (Solanum rice-corn composites. Combining IR 72 rice variety and QPM
tuberosum ), taro (Colocasia esculenta ), and sweet potato white corn grits at a 70:30 ratio can be used as a staple food
were included in the vegetable consumption. Improvements owing to its improved nutritional and sensory qualities. Thus,
in the percentage of well-nourished children among the pre- corn can be used to ameliorate food insecurity in Filipino
school and the school-age children may also be an effect of families and homes.
increased consumption of vegetables and fruits. As con- Salazar (2003) suggested that, in order to expand commer-
sumption of vegetables and fruits among pre-school chil- cialization of QPM corn, the public should be made aware of
dren actually decreased, the intake of other food items as its nutritional benefits and that the stigma of corn as food for
well as factors associated with care, environment, and the poor must be removed. One area, which the campaign
sanitation could account for the improvement of weight- should emphasize in order to ensure quality, is the proper
for-age and, for some children, in meeting the recommended processing or drying of corn as neglect of these renders the
nutrient requirement (Gayao et al. 2005). crop susceptible to aflatoxin contamination. Other areas of
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Nutrition and agriculture nexus in the Philippines 881

concern for the promotion of QPM as a substitute for rice are (0.57 mg kg−1 Fe), and daily food consumption was moni-
sustainable production technologies and proper postharvest, tored. High-iron rice contributed 1.79 mg Fe d−1 to the diet in
storage and processing facilities as well as policy support contrast to 0.37 mg Fe d−1 from the control rice. The 17 %
aimed at the use of corn as a supplement to wheat flour. difference in total dietary iron consumption compared with
Studies should also be conducted on the development of controls (10.16±1.06 vs. 8.44±1.82 mg d−1) resulted in a
novel food/bakery preparations to reduce the country’s modest increase in serum ferritin (P =0.10) and total body
requirement for wheat. iron (P =0.06) and no increase in hemoglobin (P =0.59).
However, the response was greater in non-anemic subjects
Rice grain quality (RGQ) for ferritin (P =0.02) and body iron (P =0.05), representing a
20 % increase after controlling for baseline values and daily
Institute of Human Nutrition and Food, College of Human rice consumption. The greatest improvements in iron status
Ecology, University of the Philippines Los Banos (IHNF, were seen in non-anemic women who had the lowest baseline
CHE, UPLB) iron status and in those who consumed the most iron from rice.
The Rice Grain Quality (RGQ) research group of the IHNF The author concluded that the consumption of biofortified
has been involved in the conduct of rice quality evaluation. rice, without any other changes in diet, is efficacious in
The assessment of the quality of rice started in the 1950s in the improving iron stores of women with iron-poor diets in the
Department of Home Technology and the Plant Breeding developing world.
Division of the Department of Agronomy. At present, the
RGQ project is being implemented by IHNF under the
National Cooperative Testing Project–Grain Quality Tests Facilitating factors contributing to successful
(NCTP-GQT) and Rice Varietal Improvement Program nutrition-sensitive agriculture
(RVIP). UPLB and the Philippine Rice Research Institute
(PhilRice) fund this project. RGQ studies the quality of dif- Notwithstanding that the programs described were conceptualized
ferent varieties of grain, e.g., irrigated lowland rice, hybrid and implemented before the elements of nutrition-sensitive
rice, rainfed lowland rice in terms of milling potential, physical agriculture had been identified and articulated, these programs
attributes, physicochemical properties, cooking parameters have shown some level of success in increasing production
and sensory quality. The results of the tests are used by and availability of nutritious and safe foods, increased diversity,
UPLB plant breeders to identify parental materials and as quality and quantity of food intake, and wide adoption and
bases for identifying elite lines that will be tested in the sustainability of the interventions. Some of the reasons and
national crop testing program. facilitating factors for these successes are as follows:
At present, the RGQ is implementing a study entitled
“Grain Quality and Satiety of Philippine Rice Varieties”. Macro/national level context
The study aims to establish the satiety value of Philippine rice
varieties of different amylose content. The study built on the Strong political will and enabling policy environment
results of the first study among UPLB male students that
looked into the satiety ratings of meals with different amylose In the Philippines, the promulgation of Presidential Decrees
content and the interrelationships between rice amylose con- (e.g., PD No. 491 creating the NNC) and issuance of
tent, glycemic and satiety indices, and rice intake. This study Executive Orders (e.g., EO 776, also known as “Rolling out
is under the “Sustainable Development and Utilization of the Backyard Food Production Programs in the Urban Areas),
Resources Program for Rice-Based Agroecosystems have contributed to the success of nutrition-sensitive agricul-
(SURPRESA)”, a research and development program funded ture projects because they provided legitimacy and even ac-
by PhilRice in partnership with UPLB. cess to funding, particularly in the case of NGOs/CSOs.
In the early 2000s, a double-blind human feeding trial was Among the case studies presented, the School Nutrition
organized and implemented to test the biological efficacy of Program (SNP) benefited from this policy environment.
iron-enhanced rice (IR6144-2B-2-2-3). The results of the
study were regarded as a catalyst for the inclusion of nutrition New forms of partnerships, strategic collaboration, sound
as one of the breeding objectives (Padolina et al. 2003 cited by coordination and structures (institutional and infrastructure)
Brooks 2010). Haas et al. (2005) conducted an efficacy study
of high-iron rice consumption during a 9-month feeding trial About a decade ago, collaboration between the government
with a double-blind dietary intervention among 192 religious and the usually politically charged NGO/CSO/PO communi-
sisters living in 10 convents around Metro Manila. Subjects ty, including international organizations, was a rarity.
were randomly assigned to consume either high-iron rice However, one of the keys to the success, in terms of scale
(3.21 mg kg −1 Fe) or a local variety of control rice and impact on nutrition, of Helen Keller International (HKI)
 Author's personal copy
882 O.B. Zamora et al.

that implemented the Homestead Food Production Model was (farmers or communities) have a sense of, or claim
the strong collaboration among HKI, national and local ownership of, the project. Many participants in projects
government, local NGOs/CSOs and POs. Similarly, the Bio- such as BIG continue to maintain their household-based
intensive Garden (BIG) approach developed and promoted by gardens many years after the project had terminated.
the International Institute for Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) in However, it should be emphasized that community par-
1984, and is still being implemented by many NGOs all over ticipation is beyond community engagement; it should
the country, is due to the effective collaboration between IIRR, include active involvement in the decision-making process in
local government units, and local NGOs and POs. The BIG the whole project cycle, particularly in the implementation,
project started in mid 1980s as a curative intervention to monitoring and evaluation stages. In successful projects,
address the famine conditions in the sugarcane growing community members are active partners, not mere pas-
provinces of Negros. However, groups that had incorporated sive targets, recipients, clients, beneficiaries or end users.
BIG in their development programs now view it as a preventive The mobilization of the local people as resource per-
intervention to food and nutrition security. Further, there is now sons is empowering and strongly justifiable because nutri-
a realization that NGOs can create small islands of success, but tional and agriculture situations and concerns are usually
for their approach to be mainstreamed and expanded, they have location-specific.
to collaborate with the government. In these two examples, the
roles of each stakeholder are clearly defined. Capacity building and access to reliable technical expertise
At the national level, the success of the projects implemented
by the NNC [e.g., LAKASS, “Gulayan ng Masa” (Vegetable In all community development projects, one key to success is
Garden of the Masses), and “Gulayan sa Paaralan” (School to find the proper mix between the wealth of wisdom embed-
Gardens)] could be partly attributed to effective inter-agency ded in the experienced practitioners (the local people) and the
collaboration. The governing board of the NNC, tasked to su- professionally trained technical experts. Unfortunately, while
pervise, monitor and implement nutrition policies and programs very good in social mobilization, advocacy and campaign,
is composed of the secretaries of Agriculture, Health, Education, there is a general lack of technical expertise among NGOs.
Science and Technology, Trade and Industry, Economic In all successful projects, there is a strong capacity building
Planning, Social Welfare and Development, Interior and Local component conducted by trainers armed with university
Government, Budget and Management, and Labor and degrees in various fields of specialization. Such is the case
Employment. The importance of the private sector’s (East West in IIRR’s BIG project and in almost all government-
Seed Company) partnership with public elementary schools and initiated nutrition projects. In the preparation of IIRR’s
parent-teachers associations is also worth mentioning. training kits, university-based researchers (technical and
communication experts) are invited as resource persons
Exploiting the best that science and technology could offer and module writers. Also, in the past two decades, many local
NGOs had employed professional agriculturists or have
Science has a lot to offer and advances in state-of-the-art tapped university-based professionals in their training
methodologies are powerful tools that could be used in ad- projects.
vancing the frontiers of nutrition and agriculture. Examples in
this paper on breeding for specific nutrition-related traits in Program approach
rice, corn and sweet potato are still at the testing stage but their
potentials are enormous. However, it should always be con- Knowledge and sensitivity to local cultures, beliefs
sidered that to be truly beneficial, what is needed by the poor, and practices
the food- and nutrition-insecure people are cheap (preferably
free) seeds/planting materials and technologies. Hence, serious Rather than the unfamiliar externally imposed strategies
in-depth analysis of the impacts of new advancements such as and interventions, project entry points should be those
genetically modified organism (GMOs) and nanotechnology, that are familiar and acceptable to local peoples and
which are largely controlled by big industry players, on the communities. For example, to a large measure, the suc-
future of food availability and nutrition, are in order. cess of the home garden projects in the Philippines is
because Filipinos can easily relate to, and identify with
Community level them (e.g., BIG, and similar backyard or school-based
garden projects). This is because of a popular Filipino
Democratized community participation folk song (Bahay Kubo) that names 18 species of vegetables
commonly found in a traditional kitchen garden (Box 1).
For projects to be successful and sustainable, it is im- “Bahay Kubo” is probably the first folksong learned by most
perative that stakeholders, particularly the local partners Filipino children.
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Nutrition and agriculture nexus in the Philippines 883

Box 1: The Philippines’ “Bahay Kubo” services of local celebrities/personalities (e.g. popular
actors/actresses and even world champion Filipino
Nipa huts were the native houses of the indigenous people of the athletes) in their campaigns. Projects such as the BIG and
Philippines before the Spaniards arrived. Also known as the bahay “Oh My Gulay” owe much of their success to effective IEC
kubo, they are traditionally constructed of bamboo tied together and materials.
covered with a thatched roof using nipa (Nypa fruticans)/anahaw
(Livistona rotundifolia) leaves. Bahay Kubo is probably one of the
first folksongs learned by every Filipino child and is often sung in Use of catchy terms for the project
schools. The folksong is about a nipa hut surrounded by a home
garden planted to 18 species. Successful projects use acronyms, terms or phrases that describe
The song goes as follows: the project for easy recall, simplicity of the message, aware-
FILIPINO ENGLISH ness raising and promotion. Examples of these are BIG
Bahay kubo, kahit munti Nipa hut*, even though it is small, the (Bio Intensive Garden; BIG makes children Bigger and
Ang halaman doon, ay sari sari plants that grow around it varies:
Sinkamas1 at talong2, Turnip1 and eggplant2, winged Stronger), MASIPAG (Hardworking) and “Oh My Gulay”
sigarilyas3 at mani4, bean3 and peanut4, String bean5, (vegetables).
Sitaw5, bataw6, patani7, hyacinth bean6, lima bean7,
Kundol8, patola9, Winter melon8, sponge gourd9, Sustainable funding source
upo’t10 kalabasa11 bottle gourd10 and squash11,
At saka mayroon pang And there are also
labanos12, mustasa13, radish12, mustard13, Many projects run by the informal sector (NGOs/CSOs)
14 15
Sibuyas , kamatis , onion14, tomato15, were not sustained because funds ran out after 3–5 years.
bawang16 at luya17 garlic16, and ginger17 Long-term funding is imperative for projects to be sus-
Sa paligid-ligid ay And all around are plants of sesame18.
puno ng linga18. (adapted from: Yannucci 2012) tainable. The more successful and expanded projects on
Filipino/Tagalog Name English Name Scientific Name
nutrition-sensitive agriculture are funded by government
1
Singkamas (Mexican) turnip Pachyrhizus erosus
agencies that had prioritized them.
2
Talong Eggplant Solanum
melongena Program content
3
Sigarilyas Winged bean Psophocarpus
tetragonolobus Life cycle approach in nutrition
4
Mani Peanut Arachis hypogaea
5
Sitaw String bean Phaseolus vulgaris In this approach, individuals are viewed in different develop-
6
Bataw Hyacinth bean Lablab purpureus ment stages of life. Priority is given to children in their
7
Patani Lima bean Phaseolus lunatus formative years. Likewise, the integral link of child and ma-
8
Kundol Winter melon Benincasa hispida ternal nutrition is often emphasized. Hence, nutrition-sensitive
9
Patola Sponge gourd, Cucumis agriculture would require providing the nutritional needs of
vegetable acutangulus individuals across their life span.
gourd
10
Upo Bottle gourd Lagenaria siceraria
11
Holistic community nutrition perspective
Kalabasa Squash Cucurbita maxima
12
Labanos White radish Raphanus sativus
13
Nutrition and agriculture, which are vital elements of total
Mustasa Mustard Brassica integrifolia
14
community development, cannot be viewed in isolation. The
Sibuyas Onion Allium cepa
15
thrust of community development should be holistic and
Kamatis Tomato Solanum
should also include health, education, livelihood, and envi-
lycopersicum
16 ronmental concerns.
Bawang Garlic Allium sativum
17
Luya Ginger Zingiber officinale
18 Practice and promotion of biodiversity-based agricultural
Linga Sesame Sesamum indicum
production systems
Adapted from: Rocas 2012.

Diverse production systems involving crops and livestock

(including fish) provide a hedge against the vagaries of
Professionalize promotion and ‘messaging’ of the project unpredictable growing conditions (e.g., climate change) and
unpredictable price of food, increase the chance of crop sur-
Successful projects have very good print, broadcast, audio- vival, and ensure harvests (and hence, food) throughout the
visual and web (quad media) exposures, information, educa- season. Many crops are seasonal, have different growing cycle
tion and communication (IEC) materials, and even engage the durations, and provide varied sources of food.
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884 O.B. Zamora et al.

Control of the means of production researchers/scientists, local and international research institutions,
funders and policy makers that this approach is much better than
The farmers and participants of nutrition-sensitive agriculture doing what we have been doing for more than four decades i.e.
should be weaned from dependency, e.g., provision of the concentrating on yield. Studies and data show that concentration
inputs of production, particularly seeds and planting materials. of effort most exclusively in this area is continuing to exacerbate
The successful projects had incorporated capacity building for the nutritional problems we now have. If society really cares about
seed/planting material production that assures timely availability improving the health and nutrition of resource-poor farmers,
and accessibility of these most important production inputs. money should go directly to support smallholder farmer- or
community-centered programs on nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
Despite all the above discourse, there are reasons for opti-
Conclusions mism. Many researchers, who were used to working along their
narrow disciplines are starting to work with those from other
Food and nutrition insecurity in the Philippines and many parts of disciplines, e.g., agriculturists, nutritionists, medical doctors,
the world, particularly in developing countries, are realities which development communication experts, human ecologists and
are mainly due to poverty. To effectively address this crisis, we others in the social sciences in the cause of nutrition-sensitive
need to do a great deal more than simply grow additional food. agriculture: interdisciplinary programs are slowly becoming the
For more than four decades, mainstream or conventional norm in research and development. Increasingly, these specialists
agriculture has focused almost entirely on increasing yield; an are now working directly with farmers using varying approaches
approach that has been dependent on relatively few breeders and e.g. on-farm research, farming systems research, participatory
on few breeding strategies centered on high yielding varieties. research, ethno-science and farmer-scientist partnerships. The
These breeding strategies are excessively focused on single gene number of cases documented of successful efforts in nutrition-
control of pest and disease resistance, high yield, mono-cropping, sensitive sustainable agriculture both at the farm and community
high cropping intensity, irrigation and use of agrochemicals. This levels have increased. However, we are not aware of academic
bias in genetics towards single characteristics reinforces the de- programs in support of nutrition-sensitive agriculture and it
cline of diversity in agriculture and food produce because it leads appears that this has yet to be developed. For all these to happen,
us to accept that a few tricks–this variety, that gene, the spray over sustainable funding has to be made available by governments
there–will pull the world’s food supply through. The so-called and other funding agencies.
modern advances in science only reinforce the narrow worldview Looking ahead, much still needs to be done. Much of the
of specialists approach to problem solving in agriculture. scientific community has to be convinced to work beyond
Considering the food and nutrition security situation we are in their narrow expertise and with others of different fields,
now and the grim prognosis for the future, there is a glaring need effective quad media materials on nutrition-sensitive agricul-
to reorient the paradigm, strategies, approaches, policies, and ture have to be developed and policies and programs supportive
scientific support systems for agriculture. Innovative approaches of nutrition-sensitive agriculture have to be formulated and
will have to be focused on people, not crops, and on hungry and implemented effectively.
malnourished children and households, rather than national pro- The ‘good practices’ highlighted in this article emphasize
duction targets that are often export-driven. More importantly, the need to incorporate nutritional concerns into the design
there is a need to change the condescending attitude towards and implementation of agricultural programs, policies, and
farmers who are being considered as passive recipients, targets, investments; target nutritionally vulnerable groups; design
beneficiaries and clients for technologies and information. Food poverty reduction strategies explicitly to benefit nutrition of
and nutrition security is about people, and we have to direct our the people; seek opportunities for collaboration among all
resources to people to enable them to make the difference. stakeholders, and most importantly, provide enabling policy
Remarkably, there is a considerable amount to learn by and institutional environments for nutrition-sensitive agriculture
starting with what the local people know, and in taking into through knowledge and incentives.
consideration local cultures, beliefs and practices. By doing
so, the sustainability dividend is very large, impacts on local
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Crops Research and Training Center (NPRCRTC) Working Paper Yannucci, L. (2012). Bahaykubo: Philippine kids song. (http://www.
Series No. 3. July to December 2005. mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=1017&c=150). Accessed 5 November 2012.
Gonsalves, J. (1989). Bio-intensive gardening: Alternatives to conven-
tional external input based gardening. International Institute of Rural
Reconstruction, Silang, Cavite. www.mwetafro.be/leisa/1989/5-2-
21.pdf. Accessed 20 November 2012.
Haas, J. D., Beard, J. L., Murray-Kolb, L. E., del Mundo, A., Felix, A., &
Gregorio, G. (2005). Iron-biofortified rice improves the iron stores
of non-anemic Filipino women. Journal of Nutrition, 135, 2823–
2830. Oscar B. Zamora is a Professor
Ismail, S., Immink, M., Mazar, I., and Nantel, G. (1998). What makes them of Crop Science and is currently
successful: A review and analysis of experience. http://www.fao.org/ the Vice Chancellor for Academic
docrep/006/y5030e/y5030e00.htm. Accessed 5 November 2012. Affairs of the University of the
Mendez, C. M., & Ronda, R. A. (2011). Oh My Gulay! goes nationwide, Philippines Los Banos. He has
gets private sector support. http://www.philstar.com/education-and- long experience in research and
home/700848/oh-my-gulay-goes-nationwide-gets-private-sector- development work on sustainable/
support. Accessed 24 January 2012. alternative agriculture, alternative
Moshman, J. (2009). The Philippines’ NGO sector. http://www.wango. crop breeding strategies, organic
org/NGONews/February09/PhilippinesNGOs.html. Accessed 5 farming, genetic resources conser-
November 2012. vation, media development and
Nagares, N. D. L., Hurtada, W. A., Rodriguez, F. M., & Dizon, E. I. environment concern with stu-
(2011). Nutritional value, physico-chemical properties and accept- dents, NGOs and colleagues in
ability of rice (Oryza sativa L.)-corn (Zea mays L.) composites. Asia academe. He is a member of
Life Sciences, 20(1), 203–218. numerous honorary and profes-
National Nutrition Council (2012). http://www.nnc.gov.ph/. Accessed 5 sional societies and has conceptualized and implemented integrated
November 2012. rural development projects, provided technical support services, and
Panlasigui, L. N., Bayaga, C. L. T., Barrios, E. B., & Cochon, C. L. was involved in advocacy/campaigning with NGOs at the national,
(2010). Glycaemic response to quality protein maize grits. Journal regional and international levels. He was involved in national,
of Nutrition and Metabolism. doi:10.1155/2010/697842. regional (Southeast Asia) and international networking activities
Pedro, M. R. A., Benavides, R. C., and Barba, C. V. C. (2006). Dietary on sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation, management
changes and their health implications in the Philippines. In: The Double and use, genetic engineering campaigns, activities on food security, and
Burden of Malnutrition: Case Studies in Six Developing Countries, participatory development. He has published as sole author or co-author
FAO Corporate Document Repository. http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/ 31 technical papers in refereed journals, several books on sustainable
a0442e/a0442e03.htm. Accessed 20 November 2012. agriculture and more than 80 papers presented in national and inter-
Plan International & PhilDHRRA (2012). Productive capacity improve- national conferences. He received his PhD in Crop Physiology
ment of civil society groups in the Philippine agricultural sector and from the University of Queensland, Australia.
 Author's personal copy
886 O.B. Zamora et al.

Lucille Elna P. de Guzman is a Ma. Theresa M. Talavera is an

researcher in the Crop Science Assistant Professor and currently
Cluster, College of Agriculture, the Director of the Institute of Hu-
University of the Philippines man Nutrition and Food at the
Los Banos. Her research interests University of the Philippines
are on seed quality testing and Los Baños. Her research interests
seed enhancement, sustainable/ span complementary feeding, use
alternative agriculture, indigenous of multiple micronutrient powder,
knowledge systems, conservation anemia, nutrition labeling, and ef-
and management of plant genetic fect of climate change on nutri-
resources, crop physiology, and tional status. She has been in-
climate change adaptation. She volved in several national and
teaches courses on seed technolo- international projects such as
gy, basic crop science, and eco- capacity building of local nutri-
logical agriculture. She has a tion workers on nutrition program
decade-long experience in coordinating and implementing short courses management, capacity building on food and nutrition security in Lao
on seed technology, genetic conservation and sustainable agriculture. She PDR and development of graduate programs in Iran. She also chairs the
has participated in international and refresher courses on seed production Technical Panel on Nutrition and Dietetics Education of the Philippines
and seed technology, on enhancing agro-biodiversity use, and on partic- Commission on Higher Education. She obtained her BSc in Nutrition at
ipatory plant breeding and support of local seed supply as a fellow of the the University of the Philippines Los Baños, her Postgraduate Diploma in
Netherlands University Foundation for International Cooperation Public Health from Otago University, New Zealand, and her MSc in
(NUFFIC) in the Netherlands and in Thailand. She has published several Public Health at the University of the Philippines Manila.
papers in peer-reviewed journals and co-authored chapters in books on
organic agriculture and indigenous knowledge. She received her PhD in
Agronomy from the University of the Philippines Los Banos.

Normahitta P. Gordoncillo is an
Sue Liza C. Saguiguit is an As- Assistant Professor in the Institute
sociate Professor and a former of Human Nutrition and Food in
Dean of the College of Human the College of Human Ecology,
Ecology (CHE), University of University of the Philippines Los
the Philippines Los Banos. She Baños (UPLB). She teaches
teaches courses in Human Ecology, Clinical Nutrition and Nutritional
Human Development, Human Assessment. She has been a con-
Migration, Housing and Family, sultant to regional and national
and Community Resource Man- researches in community and
agement. She has published several child nutrition. Professionally,
papers on the environmental she was a board member and the
learning of children in agricultural former president of the Philippine
rural communities, indigenous Society of Nutritionist-Dietitians,
play activities and environmental Inc. As a fellow of the Nether-
values of children in rural com- lands University Foundation for International Cooperation (NUFFIC),
munities, and the awareness of environmental health hazards of street she trained in Community Health and Development at the International
children, among others. Her current research interests include family Agricultural Center in The Netherlands and was awarded a post graduate
intergenerational transfer of indigenous knowledge in family resource diploma “With Distinction”. She finished her MS in Applied Nutrition
management, child development and food and nutrition security, climate from UPLB, with a cognate in Agricultural Economics as a scholar of the
change adaptation and child and family welfare. Her academic back- Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in
ground in Human Ecology includes areas of Human Settlements, Human Agriculture (SEARCA). She received her PhD in Human Nutrition
Environment and Design, and Family and Child Ecology. She received from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, where she earned an
her PhD from Michigan State University, USA. “Outstanding Academic Achievement Award”.

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