Can Cassava (kamoteng kahoy) be a rice substitute

Looking forward to the future of business

My uncle (as seasoned agri businessman) and I were discussing what possible businesses to introduce to constituents of an elected relative to provincial positions.  While mine was agri forestry which takes 5 or more years to harvest, he proposed cassava.  It grows every where is not dependent on too much water, not prone to diseases and not very much affected by typhoons.  It bears tubers in five years or less.

Why not try?

He suggests area of 100 hectares or more mechanized.    Cassava can be used for flour, startch (as what Liwayway now Oishi did) ethanol, pharmaceutical and confectionary and beauty products (as sorbitol)

and even biogradable plastic

While the issue of rice importation, tariffs are highly politicized, may it be suggested that we work on substitutes or alternatives.   

Possible agri venture - planting this tuber can solve many problems

Looking forward to the future of business

Met with my uncle after a long while (he had his eye operated on) and met long for possible agri venture.  (He is into broiler, eggs, and cattle farming)  Our goal was to interest a relative in a big Region 3 province to have alternative sources of income, while at the same time provide livelihood (not ayudas) to his constituents, and thus strengthen further his political clout.  He just won a legislative position in his province.  

My idea is have plantation agreements in idle lands with landowner and partnership for high value products like white lamuan, and /or agar or trees with fragrance (since there are all ready such, owned by foreigners with their laboratories and who are expanding - quite an opportune moment

My uncles idea was different - to go on contract growing of a popular tuber that can be substitute for rice and which has numerous other uses:   flour, starch, textile, paper, ethanol, sorbitol costmetic products etc.

This project certainly could:

1.  Provide many jobs since harvesting and processing can be labor intensive;

2.  Save $ for rice importation

3.  Provide opportunities for high value products like sorbitol.

Nigeria is currently  the leader in cassava production and there are reports that those who engage in such business are now wealthy.

Bamboo growing can save this Planet - Pablo van der Lugt at TED Ex presentation

Looking forward to the future of business

This Norwegian scientist with PhD sees great hope in saving planet earth from the dangers it faces now like climate change and global warming and depletion of natural resources

1.  Bamboos grow incredibly fast up to 40 cm per day;

2.  It needs little care

3.  It matures and is usable only after 3 years, (unlike timber that takes 50 up to 100 years before it can replenish used wood resources

4.  It is very versatile and can be used as 1.   tea     2.  food -  young bamboo shoots    3.  for paper pulp

for textile and 4 for variety of construction uses:    floors, as veneer, structural beams, scaffoldings, etc.

Thus it will create plenty of jobs and wealth for those:

     1.  Who grow bamboo;

     2.  Harvest and transport the bamboo to factories for processing

     3.  Those who work in factories

     4.   Those who sell bamboo products

5.  It is carbon negative and can soak up 40 tons of CO2 in a year.  What can 1M hectares of idle land planted with bamboo do to global warming   

The worldwide bamboo market is worth $70 billion  China controls 50% of that.  Thus we see plastic spoon fork and knives serrved at HK fastfood   

Developments in the Philippines

1.  Passage of Bamboo Industry Development  Act of 19th Congress.  (although no budget yet)

2.  Bamboo growers association in Mindanao c/o Manny Pinol former DA Secretary

3.  Former mayor Cesar Quiambao having 5,000 hectares planted to Bamboo in Pangasinan;  the province's goal is to have 30,000 hectares planted to bamboo