LEGAZPI CITY: The three-day Philippine National Corn Congress here adopted seven vital resolutions in an effort to achieve feeds security, alleviate poverty and address the effect of climate change.

With 700 participants from 13 regions representing some two million corn farmers, the Philmaize Federation of corn farmers also sought for the accreditation of Mais Partylist in congress for the coming 2010 national elections, said Romualdo Elvira Jr., executive committee chair of the 6th National Corn Congress and Philmaize Federation director.

Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture, and Sen. Francis Escudero, who graced the affair, declared their support for the Mais Partylist accreditation, including the other resolutions.

The 6th National Corn Congress was held at the Albay Astrodome starting Thursday with the theme “Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities for the Corn Industry.”

Philmaize President Rod Navarro said that climate change had a major effect in corn production. He said the 6th Corn Congress has adapted the Albay declaration on climate change adaptation as a primary framework to fight against food security and disaster-risk reduction.

Philmaize said that proper consumption of water, power and materials would help in the sustainable use of nature’s riches.

Philmaize noted that of the 7.8 million metric tons yearly production of corn, the agriculture department subsidy for corn program is only P600 million compared to rice subsidy of P30 billion yearly whose production yearly is only 11 million metric tons.

There are at least 1.4 million hectares of corn farms with Region II as the biggest producer followed by Regions X and XII. Bicol region has only 40,000 hectares allocated for corn farming.

Philmaize also assails the banning of BT corn in Bacolod province after the province passed an ordinance last year that prohibits the entry of genetically modified agricultural products.

According to Elvira, corn production during the past year went down by 15 percent due to climate change plus the high cost of fertilizer.

Elvira said the 6th Congress concluded with the demand for the creation of the corn cooperative bank initially for regions II, X and XII. He said they are also pushing for the increase of corn prize from P7 to P13 a kilo by the National Food Authority (NFA). He added that the 6th corn congress also pushes for the additional budget by the Philippine Crop Insurance for corn farmers.

Among the resolutions passed was for government to impose tariff on imported feed wheat, NFA buying price from P7 to P13 a kilo, increase the budget from P600 million to P3.2 billion and increase of coverage from PCIC.