Rice farming is a good source of biomass energy. Engr. Alexis T. Belonio, in a lecture given at PhilRice Los Banos on July 15, said rice husks and straws, found in the rice farming environment have so much potential as energy sources. For an average harvest of 4.5 t/ha, there are around 900 kg of rice husks and 4,500 kg of rice straws. “At 3,000 kcal/kg of rice husks and […]

written by Sonny P. Pasiona   “Why should we offer half rice? We barely mind rice wastage. What matters more is we get more sales with full rice.” In a rice-loving country, these words are what some food establishments would argue why they refuse to offer half-cup of rice in their menus. But in the tuna capital of the Philippines, the local government is turning tables to promote a responsible […]

Winnowing rice is an image we often see in the rural areas. The process may be tedious, but it is a manifestation of how much we want to cook the most important grains in perfection. The way we plant, harvest, cook, and consume rice has advanced over the years. Our cover reminds us there are things in our culture that are fleeting, in response to the changing rice industry landscape.

Mahigit 10 tao ang kailangan upang makapagtanim ng mano-mano sa bukid. Sa tulong ng mechanical transplanter, kayang-kaya na ng 2 tao na mataniman ang isang ektaryang palayan. Sa paglipas ng panahon, ang ating mga magsasaka ay naging bukas na rin sa paggamit ng makabagong teknolohiya tulad ng makinarya at innovations sa bukid. Kaya naman, mas bumaba ang gastos, mas tumaas pa ang kanilang kita.

Poor to zero germination of sown seeds is one of the major problems of farmers who practice direct wet seeding during rainy season. Experts at the Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Division of PhilRice are working on a study titled Germination under water: Wanted trait for direct wet-seeded rice to solve this problem by identifying breeding lines with high anaerobic germination rate. Anaerobic germination is the ability of the rice seeds […]

Two development communication practitioners wrote their book review on Youth & Agriculture: The Infomediary Campaign in the Philippines launched at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Baños, Laguna, July 13. In a matter of 3-4 hr, the new book Youth & Agriculture: The Infomediary Campaign in the Philippines can help readers realize that young people, when empowered, can help create impacts in […]

                Rice productivity remains a challenge in Isabela, despite being the second largest province in the country with favorable rice-growing environment, according to Isabela Provincial Agriculturist Danilo Tumamao. In a stakeholders’ meeting organized by PhilRice Isabela at Cagayan Valley Research Center on July 7, stakeholders from public and private sectors were gathered to solicit their engagement in helping rice-based communities towards inclusive and […]

Sowing rice seeds in straight rows directly into the soil is now made easier with the reduced-till planter. As the name connotes, the reduced-till planter works in minimally prepared soil at a predetermined seeding rate, with an option to simultaneously apply basal fertilizer. The machine can also be used to plant other crops such as maize, soybean, and mungbean. The machine is a product of collaboration among the DA National […]

Mardy Halcon-Cristobal June 23, 2016                         “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”- Sir Winston Churchill On the subject of genetically engineered foods, this rings true. After years of debate, the prestigious National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has released its verdict: there is no substantiated […]