Addressing Food Security: Saba Banana and Rootcrops as Alternative Food Staples to Rice in Quezon Province, Philippines

The Philippines considers rice self-sufficiency as vital to food security; hence, possible alternative food staples are being identified  in case of persistent shortfalls in domestic rice production. This paper explores the potential of (cardava) banana, sweet potato, potato,  the Quezon province, Philippines which grow all these crops. Socio-economic  surveys of 375 farmers, 82 traders, and 625 consumers were  conducted in 2013 but covered crop year 2012. Results showed that  banana, sweet potato, and cassava had the highest demand among  three in terms of possible substitutes for rice. However, willingness to  substitute is largely for breakfast and relatively less for other meals.  While findings indicated a demand for alternative crops, average yield  per hectare and production per farm of each of the five crops were  low as compared with the provincial average. Despite low production  levels, a greater proportion of total produce was  marketed reflecting  the crops’ marketability and potential as additional income source. Recommendations on how to intensify production and to encourage rice substitution particularly banana, sweet potato, and cassava, banana, root crops, rice substitution, consumption. Keywords: Saba, marketing