Too much rice is not good

Arguments:

1.Rice production contributes to maldistribution of wealth, other society problems

Few only have the wealth

Food security

Rice is not a good crop… rice is in areas that are prone to flooding

Rely on rice for food security = bad for u

2.AVERAGE Farmer: Rice farming: Not a good source of income. Not good for health.

3. RICE CONSUMERS: Too much rice can cause health problems

Our choices

a. Rice-rice-rice in the farms and dining tables.

b. New system of food production and consumption. Diversification is key!

Rice monocrop is poor economics.

Farmers poor forever

Higher rice production cost

Higher consumer rice prices

Station 4:

Question: According to Academician Rasco, there is a need to change our eating practice. Why?

For a country that accounts 20% of its Gross Value Added (GVA) of the Philippines to Rice. It is
no surprise that rice is the Philippine’s most staple crop. Compared to other countries the Philippines
has maintained and increased its intake of white rice. The Philippines has a strong addiction towards
white rice where rice is usually included in every meal of a Filipino and that addiction did not stop there
since the country somehow developed other cultures towards rice such as the “extra rice” culture.

Dr. Rasco implies that rice is bad for us individuals but as well as for our country’s development.
He argues that eating too much rice will cause health problems. The problem is that through the
continuous increase of calorie intake resulted to the decrease of physical activities which may explain
the rise in number of obese Filipinos. The high amount of glucose intake of a person is linked to diseases
such heart failure, stroke and obesity. By analyzing the content of rice, rice is basically a starch that lacks
in proteins, amino acids such as lysine and minerals such as iron and zinc. Moreover, its Glycemic Index
which is the speed of glucose that reaches the bloodstream is above average meaning the higher the
index the more likely the negative consequences will occur. He suggests that we either change our
eating practices through a new system of food production and consumption or maintain this rice culture
of ours but heavily rely on better rice alternatives such as brown rice and parboiled rice.

He argues that through rice production, the maldistribution of wealth continuously occurs where only
the few benefits. The number of families whom hold a part of a land are deteriorating.