Written by the Web Team   Milky money. Farmers can  gain additional profit by growing Calocybe indica or milky mushroom in their own backyard. Jay-ar B. Tapec of PhilRice Isabela said that a  kilo of rice hull and rice straw substrate can produce an average of 1 to 1.8 kilo of fresh Milky Mushroom. Aside from 100-180% biological efficiency, milky mushroom have long shelf life lasting for seven days at […]

Written by the Web Team   Farmers in Region II had committed themselves to be more productive following their attendance to a season-long training on PalayCheck, an integrated crop management system for rice, and Palayamanan, a diversified rice-based farming system. “Farmers are eager to learn new technologies, but sometimes, we lack government support. We are lucky that we have this free training, so it’s a must for us to have […]

Written by the Web Team   Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala expressed confidence that “Filipino farmers can be at par with the best farmers of the world” with the results of Palayabangan, a nationwide farming contest, in this year`s dry season. “Nakakatakot ang ASEAN integration. Pero nakita natin na kaya palang maging globally competitive ang ating mga magsasaka (The ASEAN integration may sound intimidating. But today, it`s proven that farmers […]

Written by the Web Team   Dr. Mary Ann Baradi, supervising science research specialist of PhilRice in Batac, Ilocos Norte, recently received the regional Gawad Saka outstanding agricultural researcher award from the Department of Agriculture. Baradi received the award for her  researches published in national and international journals and presented in conferences. She co-authored the study titled, Simulation of paddy drying in a Low Cost In-Bin Dryer, published in the […]

Recharging the mind.  Agriculture committee heads in the municipalities and barangays in Cotabato participated in the Rice S&T Updates and Appreciation Course for Local Executives conducted by PhilRice Midsayap in June 10-11. Coming from Pigcawayan, Pikit, Alamada, Libungan, Midsayap, and Aleosan, the local executives learned about the drum seeder, Minus One Element Technique, Leaf Color Chart, observation well in the controlled irrigation, vermicomposting, and mushroom production.

Written by the Web Team   Aurora, the lowest rice-producing province in Region III, may soon increase its harvests with the promotion of pest-reducing farm practices in the area. Dr. Aurora M. Corales, supervising science research specialist based at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said that synchronous planting and crop rotation could help minimize pest and disease occurrences including rats, rice black bug, rice bug, tungro, rice blast, and […]

Written by Charisma Love B Gado   When El Niño hit Isabela in 2009, Julie Gambalan of Aga, Delfin Albano, Isabela, gained nothing despite of sleepless nights fighting for her rice crop. “I had sleepless nights. The expenses were too much and were adding up to the weekly allowance for my college student then in Manila,” she said. For her rice plants to survive, she sold their cattle for P25,000 […]

Written by Mervalyn Oplas-Tomas   He saw the need for change. And he had to start it. Bernardino Nuñez, National Gawad Saka 2012 awardee, thought that he will forever be magsasaka (farmer) not a magsasako (farm entrepreneur). Now, his farm is a proof that farmers can harvest enough or even more than enough from a hectare. The beginning Nuñez admitted that he did not have any interest in farming although […]

Written by Charisma Love B Gado   From information to action. The actions conveyed during the National Year of Rice (NYR) 2013, a campaign that aimed to help achieve rice self-sufficiency, are sustained this year through the Be RICEponsible campaign launched in March. As an offshoot of NYR 2013, the Be RICEponsible campaign aims to promote the RICEponsibility of the Filipinos to the country and to their bodies for enough […]

Written by the Web Team   PhilRice breeders encourage farmers to plant early maturing and drought-tolerant rice varieties in preparation for the likely coming of El Niño this cropping season. El Niño is expected to hit the country the last quarter of 2014 and will last until the first quarter of 2015, based on the recent advisory by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). PAGASA predicted changes […]