BICUTAN, TAGUIG ─ Academician Eufemio T. Rasco, Jr., recognized for his pioneering and outstanding contributions in the field of plant breeding, won the Rockefeller Foundations Food System Vision Prize “Special Mention”, which made his team one of the top 14 out of 1,300 teams who submitted entries. This was formally announced by Dr. Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundations, last August 11, 2020. Led by Dr. Rasco from National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines (NAST PHL), his team will receive $25,000 and will be potentially highlighted in the UN Food System summit in 2021.
Feeding Metro Manila in 2050, chosen as their team’s Vision, was showcased as a system that nurtures the health of people and the planet, adapts to changing climate, and is sensitive to the diversity of food culture.
Dr. Rasco saw Metro Manila’s role as cultural center and trendsetter. According to him, if food habits change in Metro Manila, the rest of the steps in the food system and the rest of the country will follow. He added that correcting a dysfunctional food system is the key to solving Metro Manila’s major problems together with the continuing technological and policy improvements. He said that these will be needed to guide consumer behavior, to assure the farmers and fisherfolk of sustained productivity and greater share of production and marketing profits, and to cultivate better cooperation between farming and consumer communities.
Dr. Rasco and his team envisioned the typical 2050 dinner plate as diverse, mostly plant based with less rice and highly processed grains, and assembled by a robust App that considers an individual’s nutritional and health needs and capabilities, impact of the meal composition on the environment, local food culture, and farmers’ welfare.
The Vision Feeding Metro Manila in 2050 was supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato dela Peña on its initial implementation.
The Philippine Chamber of Food and Agriculture and Food Inc., De La Salle University, Araneta, University of the Philippines SPICE Project, East West Seed Company, Coalition for Agricultural Modernization of the Philippines, Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (National Farmers' Movement), Urban Agriculture Ph, Management Association of the Philippines, ABCDE Foundation, Young Professionals for Agricultural Development, Philippine Chapter, PhilRice, National Research Council of the Philippines, De La Salle University Manila, Institute of Plant Breeding, UPLB, and Kapisanan ng Magsasaka, Mangingisda at Manggagawang Pilipinas Inc. were among the institutions and organizations who helped and formed the team in building the Vision Feeding Metro Manila in 2050 for over 10 years. (Ruth Ann DL. Recto / NAST PHL)
Click here to download the PDF File of Feeding in Metro Manila in 2050