The Department of Agriculture (DA), in partnership with PhilRice and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), is conducting an island-wide training of trainers from DA regional offices and selected provinces on the Production and Exchange of High-Quality Inbred Rice Seeds from April 18 to 19.
According to Dr. Karen Eloisa T. Barroga, PhilRice’s acting deputy executive director for development, this training is part of the new DA project called Farmers’ Production and Exchange of High-Quality Inbred Rice Seeds (SEEDEX). PhilRice and BPI are leading the capability enhancement activities in coordination with the Agricultural Training Institute.
The SEEDEX project aims to strengthen use of quality seeds of appropriate inbred varieties in the various rice-producing provinces of all 16 regions, but with relatively less emphasis in those prioritized for hybrid rice production.
The training of trainers is being conducted simultaneously at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station in Maligaya, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija for the Luzon delegates; East View Hotel in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental for the Visayas delegates; and PhilRice Agusan Station in RTR Romualdez, Agusan del Norte for the Mindanao delegates.
“The training goal is to enhance the capacity of regional training teams to train rice farmers on how to produce their own quality inbred rice seeds and help them understand and appreciate the advantages of using such,” says PhilRice Rice Seed System Program Leader Dr. Glenn Y. Ilar.
A total of 93 participants composed of regional and provincial seed coordinators, seed inspectors, rice information officers, rice focal persons, and agricultural program coordinating officers are attending the said training.
Hands-on activities at the field, facilitated discussions on seed production, and mindsetting and planning activities for SEEDEX are being covered in the training program. The participants are expected to develop their regional workplans for a modified season-long training for rice farmers.
Highlights during the said training include:
