Former Health Secretary and Iloilo lawmaker Janette Garin has called on the Department of Agriculture to promote sweet potatoes (‘kamote’) as an alternative to rice to counter a possible rice shortage. Garin responded to farmer groups warning of a possible rice shortage in 2023.

“It is high time that the DA extensively promotes sweet potato as an alternative. One way of doing this is to increase production and make the necessary investment in root crops in terms of agricultural research, food technology, or marketing,” Garin said.

According to Garin, the government should also provide incentives for restaurants and street diners to serve kamote.

She added: “It is time to watch our diet and cut down on rice consumption.”

“I am not promoting to abandon rice completely but to include root crops as part of one’s diet as root crops are beneficial to overall nutrition,” she added.

Source: gmanetwork.com