The Evergreen Habitats Are Coming Up! I Hope. In The Philippines, Starting With The Banaue Rice Terraces

Above image: Isn’t that beautiful? It is! But it’s a dull beauty – it does not excite the senses. That is true with all nature-based tourist spots in the Philippines: They excite only the eyes.

Now is the time for all good minds to come to the aid of their countrymen – Now then, the Banaue Rice Terraces as a package is much an unfulfilled beauty because it embellishes the landscape but enhances not the human scape – the truth that which has been hidden from it since the first rice terraces were built by humans more than 2000 years ago (Britannica, britannica.com).
(“Rice terraces” from guidetothephilippines.ph)

Don’t forget: Climate Change is out there! Now then, the rice terraces need happy humans; our habitats need happy humans to cultivate them into happy relationships – Plants with Animals with Humans. I realized that only today; that is why I have come up with this new blog: Our Happy Habitat, with the new slogan, “Cultivate Happy Relationships.” To encourage people to encourage the landscapes to encourage people!

Such as: In the 1960s, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) came up with “Miracle Rice” (the variety “IR8”) that which I know began the Green Revolution in Asia – it yielded high in grains for the harvests and high in gains for the farmers. The Father of the Green Revolution in India was MS Swaminathan, who had been IRRI Director General. But Mr Swaminathan was not content – he saw beyond the grains & gains of the Green Revolution and brainstormed what he called The Evergreen Revolution.

Learning from Mr Swaminathan, that is what the Banaue Rice Terraces and such other habitats are calling for from us: The Evergreen Revolution. Silently. Their beauty is superficial now because in fact where they are, the Once-Evergreen has faded and, therefrom, its Eden-like kingdom of natural wealth and services has deteriorated.

With this new blog, I have a new mission; I am now calling for “The Evergreen Habitats.” Yes, the Banaue rice terraces, among other habitats, must be Evergreen: for the sake of tourists, for the people of Banaue – for us all!

Now then, those rice terraces must practice what is called “Regenerative Agriculture.” A simple reminder for “regenerative” is “organic” – so that for instance, you apply compost on the soil and zero chemical fertilizers and pesticides. You various crops whose growth relationships naturally take care of pests and diseases.

Former Secretary of Agriculture William Dar has declared himself a disciple of Regenerative Agriculture; in fact, the 1^st MS Swaminathan Global Leadership Award was given to Mr Dar last year, 10 Nov 2022 in India – after which he vowed to be a disciple of RA (you may want to read his column, “Servant Leadership Is What We Need,” 10 Nov 2022, Manila Times, manilatimes.net).

Regenerative agriculture requires a variety of organic methods and of crops. William Cowper said long ago: “Variety is the spice of life.” What our variety of habitats are commonly missing in their relationships with us humans is spice!@517