Three-farmer organizations in Negros Occidental reached roughly a thousand stakeholders through the brown rice agroenterprise day and feeding program in November.
These farmer-organizations are RiceBIS Negros Agrarian Reform Cooperative (RiceBIS NARCO), Sitio Timawa Farming Association (STOFA), and Tison-Aida Farmers Association (TAFA).
Over 800 students participated in the feeding program conducted by RiceBIS NARCO on November 15 in Cansilayan Elementary School in Murcia, Negros Occidental, while over 200 participants were involved in the event organized by STOFA and TAFA in Valencia Ko Elementary School, Victorias City.
The three organizations are not only information allies for the stated events but are also PhilRice Negros’s partners in the Rice Business Innovations System Community Program, which was designed to enhance farmer organizations’ agroenterprise.
The said events aimed to promote brown rice as an agroenterprise venture and as a healthy option for consumption. Promotion was done through distribution of knowledge products from PhilRice, brief talks, and serving of brown rice meals.
In one event, Jose Arnel E. Cordova, RiceBIS Community Program focal person, encouraged the participants to support farmers’ brown rice enterprise by patronizing their products and partnering with them in terms of financing, service provision, and even joining the organizations to further strengthen them.
Brown rice enterprise and consumption promotion were participated in by stakeholders like parents in the locale, LGU and barangay key officials, farmers, and returning OFWs who are aspiring to be part of the farming community in the area.
