Jenipher Onera, a recent farm school owner, charts a remarkable course from overseas Filipino worker (OFW) to a successful rice educator; thanks to the emblematic impact of her thirst for knowledge nourished by Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF RESP). After 18 years as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), she returned to her hometown in Batac, Ilocos Norte when her mother […]

Several legislators expressed their support for the BeRICEponsible campaign of the National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM) as they visited the recent exhibit titled, “Palay. Bigas. Kanin. Alamin” at the Senate building in Pasay City. The lawmakers affirmed their commitment to the campaign by endorsing the ABKD practices: (A) Adlay, mais, saba, atbp. ay ihalo sa kanin; (B) Brown Rice ay kainin; (K) Kanin ay huwag sayangin; at (D) Dapat bigas […]

To help prevent the imminent food shortage due to the aging of farmers, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and two clubs of Kiwanis International are intensifying efforts to revitalize agriculture through youth education. Citing an information from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, Glenda Hufano, governor of Kiwanis International-Philippine Luzon District, said that with the typical age of Filipino farmers falling between 55 […]

Farmers in Lanao del Norte who had previously abandoned rice farming due to significant yield losses are now looking forward to improved harvests, thanks to the efforts of a graduate from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Service Program (RCEF RESP). Queenie R. Notario, owner of a farm school in Bacolod, has begun planning outreach to these farmers.  “My mission is to restore their faith in rice farming. I […]

With more implementers trained on agroenterprise development, more farming communities will soon benefit from the clustering approach in the Rice Business Innovation System (RiceBIS) Program. In a recent three-day training course on agroenterprise, 40 implementers worked on expanding the value chain-oriented agroenterprise in its 23 communities nationwide. They also learned about processing, product generation, marketing, policy, monitoring, and evaluation from trainor Ronnel dela Cruz. 

The notion of debt often carries a heavy burden of negativity and caution as Benjamin Franklin said, “If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some; for [they] that go a borrowing go a sorrowing.” For the South Agusan Multipurpose Cooperative (SAMPCO), the word “debt” did not conjure images of financial distress and burdensome obligations. Cooperative officials instead envisioned it as a potent instrument for […]

Grace Pastrana, a 25-year-old agricultural technologist from the Occidental Mindoro provincial agriculture office, is now a proud farmer-partner in improving the rice growers’ sustainable practices. Having completed the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Specialist Training Course (RCEF RSTC), Grace now serves as a valuable resource speaker, facilitator, and advocate for ecological farming practices in her province. The RCEF RSTC is a comprehensive training program that aims to develop rice specialists […]

A pioneering movement is taking shape, driving a transformation in traditional rice farming practices in Leyte. One of the drivers of change is Engr. Fermina Aling, a 69-year-old visionary farmer, and owner of JAMPOL Integrated Farm School, who has embraced the theory of digitalization to propel her community toward a future of agricultural prosperity. With the help of innovative applications, Fermina and her fellow farmers are unlocking the potential of […]

A New Zealand-based organization and the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) recently commended the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) for placing inclusivity at the core of its internal and external services. The Center for Organizational Excellence Research (COER) in early August recognized PhilRice’s gender and development (GAD) mainstreaming as an outstanding international best practice under the social responsibility category among 82 worldwide contenders.  COER, an organization dedicated to benchmarking and […]

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, cited the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF RESP) during its midyear review in Nueva Ecija, Aug. 10. “The team of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has [significantly] contributed in achieving the goals of the Rice Tariffication Law [of helping the farmers become competitive amidst the influx of rice from the international market],” […]