My father and brother just came home from the north after being stranded due to the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina. “Lubog lahat parang naging lawa [yung rice fields], nakakalungkot,” my brother recalled.
Sad to say, the devastation of Typhoon Carina might just be the final nail in the coffin for many farmlands in Luzon. With the loss of their harvest plus the damage it has caused to their fields, it has been predicted that this huge loss will amount heavily to the ongoing food crisis happening in the country. In turn, it will be us who will suffer in terms of food availability come months after the typhoon.
So how can we help turn around this dire situation? Here’s how.
“Hose Going to Help Our Farmers?”
Rural Rising Philippines, a social enterprise championing farmers in plight begged the question as a call considering recent events. In a post made on its Facebook page, the NGO sheds light on what its partner Benguet farmers immediately require to restart their operations. “The common request is for IRRIGATION HOSES OR POLYPIPES, to replace those that have been washed away,” Rural Rising’s post underlined.
As explained in their post, the farmers heavily rely on rivers for irrigation. Using hundred-meter-long lengths of irrigation hoses called polypipes, the piping system is used to fetch water onto their fields. In another post, they shared a video that captured the onslaught of Typhoon Carina. It showed strong currents, brought on by the heavy rains, going down the mountainside, ripping away the previous piping system effectively destroying their hardware thus making them unable to start anew.
With just 50,000 pesos or a total of 500 members/individuals donating Php100 each, we can help Rural Rising with raising funds to purchase new pipes so the farmers and their neighboring fields can establish a new piping system for their farms.
Seeds of Hope
Not only did the flood damage farm fields but it also submerged numerous storages, which housed seeds/seedlings and fertilizers rendering them useless. Another immediate help we can give farmers, through Rural Rising, is to donate funds to buy new seed/seedlings and fertilizers to help them plant again. This is not limited to Benguet farmers but to other affected Pinoy farmers as well. To further support the cause, we can also purchase a new harvest in about 90 days. It’s a win-win situation, don’t you think?
Every Bit Helps
Our farmers are the heart and soul of our nation, working tirelessly day in and day out to grow the food that nourishes us all. Today, they are facing unimaginable challenges due to devastating floods and other hardships. Now, more than ever, they need our support. Every amount, no matter how small, can bring hope and make a profound difference in their lives. By standing with our farmers, with the help of Rural Rising Philippines, we can help them rebuild and ensure that our food supply remains secure for all. Please join us in showing our gratitude and support for these hardworking heroes who do so much for us.
For RuRi members and interested individuals who want to donate, you can use the official GCash 09175017787 or this donation link https://paymongo.page/l/ruri-donation.
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