CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, Sept. 19 (PIA) – Calbayog City mayor Ronaldo Aquino urged farmers to produce and consume corn as rice substitute.

In a meeting with officials of the Lower and Upper Happy Valley Barangays, the mayor advocated for greater agricultural productivity in the area considered as most remote in Calbayog.

Barangay representatives fromm Helino, Jacinto, San Antonio, Pinamurutan, Calocnayan, Mabini, Patong, Alibaba, Panonongon, Tigbe, Mabini-1, Olera, Langoyon and Higasaan attended the meeting.

Mayor Aquino encouraged them to be more earnest in farming, welcome diversification and not depend largely on rice and copra.

He then reiterated the city government’s support to agriculture by adopting the “Rice Self- Sufficiency Program” to its current flagship program called “Food Staples Sufficiency Program” (FSSP) to encourage the consumption of staple food substitute such as corn in achieving food security.

Aquino urged them to plant varied types of corn that mature at different seasons thereby assuring them of a steady supply of rice substitute that is healthier.

It was learned that corn consumption fights diabetes and is known to mitigate malnutrition when blended with rice, according to nutrition experts.

City agriculturist Adela Ocenar distributed packs to farmers to start planting. (vrc/PIA 8-Samar with Aimee Catalan/Calbayog Mayor’s Office)