TOWARDS AN UNDERGROUND REVOLUTION IN FOOD

TOWARDS AN UNDERGROUND REVOLUTION IN FOOD All of you have probably heard of the Green Revolution, the historical wave of agricultural innovations that dramatically increased global food production through high-yield crops and modern farming techniques. But today, I want to introduce you to something different—something closer to home and closer to the ground, quite literally. Let’s talk about the Underground Revolution, as it applies to food. Now, let me be honest right away: there is no official “Underground Revolution” out there, not in the textbooks or policy documents. It's an idea of my own making—my personal figment of imagination. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be real, or that it can’t make a difference. What do I mean by underground? I’m talking about edible root crops—those humble, nutritious, and often overlooked alternatives that grow underground: sweet potatoes, cassavas, potatoes, taros, yams, ube, yacon, and many others. These are the foods that, while not meant to replace rice, can certainly supplement it, especially as rice becomes more expensive to produce and, therefore, more expensive to buy. We Filipinos love our rice—it’s the centerpiece of almost every meal. But supplementing it with other staples makes practical and economic sense. After all, our agricultural lands and farmers are under increasing pressure. So why not ease some of that burden by tapping into crops that thrive in varied conditions and are rich in nutrients? Some of these root crops can also be milled into flour, opening the possibility of baking bread as a staple that, again, supplements—not replaces—rice. This is not an either-or scenario. It’s about expanding our options. Just think about how years ago, when McDonald’s first opened in the Philippines, many predicted failures. “Filipinos will never eat a meal without rice,” they said. But guess what? We lined up for hamburgers anyway. And in a delicious twist of cultural adaptation, the Philippines became the first country in the world where McDonald’s served rice. Now imagine what we can do with bread, made not from imported wheat, but from locally grown root crops. Let’s talk briefly about yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius), for instance—a root crop native to the Andes but increasingly grown here. It’s sweet, crunchy, and can be eaten raw. Or sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) and potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)—despite their similar names, these are different plants that both offer rich potential. Why not make flour from these crops? Here’s a simple truth: homemade flour is easier to make than you might think. You just need to clean and dry your chosen base crop, grind it with a blender or mill, sift if desired, and store it properly. That’s it. Flour from cassava, taro, or yam is entirely doable, even at the household level. What about baking? No need for fancy ovens. Instead of buying costly indoor electric ovens, communities can build outdoor ovens from bricks, clay, or even hollow blocks. These can be fueled using charcoal briquettes made from agricultural waste, readily available in rural areas. That makes the process both affordable and sustainable. In this imagined Underground Revolution, every barangay could have access to flour-making tools and brick ovens. Every community could bake bread using crops grown in their own soil. Every household could feel less pressure to depend on increasingly expensive rice or imported wheat. So, will this Underground Revolution take root? That’s up to all of us. But one thing is clear: it’s time we look beneath the ground for answers to our food security. The solutions might just be growing right under our feet. Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com 07-11-2025