LA UNION – Rice growers in two municipalities in La Union expressed readiness this wet cropping season with the assistance from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) programs. Alejandro Eduardo Baladad, one of the beneficiaries in Naguilian, said he is hopeful that the RCEF seeds will help him increase yield despite the incoming season’s threat on pest infestations. Under the RCEF-Seed Program, farmers in Region I received free certified seeds […]

The interim organizational structure for our branch stations are now in effect for seamless decision making, program implementation, communication, and staff engagement. The Batac and Isabela branch stations are now under the Office of the Deputy Executive Director (ODED) for Research. Bicol, Los Baños, and Negros report to the ODED for Development. Meanwhile, Agusan and Midsayap stations are under the direction of the ODED for Administrative Services and Finance. The […]

Healthier rice including Golden Rice are good complementary sources of nutrition. Dr Marissa Romero, food scientist based in the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), said rice comprises almost 40% of the Filipino daily diet. With the prominence of rice in the Filipino diet, its potential role in improving nutrition and health is a dynamic area of research at DA-PhilRice as part of its mandate to develop safe and nutritious rice […]

More farmers in 42 provinces are expected to cultivate high-quality rice seeds as the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)-Seed Program appropriated higher allocation of certified seeds (CS) this wet season. The allocation increase in the new target provinces is mainly due to more focused interventions of the Department of Agriculture. Under its Integrated Rice Program initiative, the department aims to provide strategic support and projects based on the needs of […]

Information on genetic makeup of Philippine rice varieties can now be accessed by breeders and researchers from different countries through the Global Information System (GLIS) portal of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). The ITPGRFA aims to facilitate the exchange of information on scientific, technical, and environmental matters related to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture based on existing information systems through GLIS. […]

Researchers from the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) iterate that 40kg of high-quality rice seeds are sufficient to plant a 1-ha field. Studies show that most farmers in the country use 80-160kg of rice seeds per hectare thinking that sowing more seeds results in high yield. “For inbred rice, we  recommend 20-40kg only for transplanted (TPR) and 60-80kg  for direct wet seeded (DWSR),” Marvin Manalang, senior science research […]

Two scientists of the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) were recognized for their significant contributions in enriching the body of knowledge on rice science. Dr. Reynante L. Ordonio, Scientist I, was distinguished as the 2021 Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) in the field of Agricultural Science by the National Academy of Science and Technology. Ordonio, 40, joined PhilRice in 2004 as a researcher who specializes in molecular breeding. His works […]

Amidst looming crisis, experts from the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) advise farmers to avoid excessive water use. “Studies show that by 2025, it is estimated that 15-20M ha of irrigated rice fields in the world will experience water shortage,” Kristine S. Pascual, DA-PhilRice’s senior science research specialist, said. She shared that 1,400L or 7 drums of water can be conserved in the production of 1kg of rice […]

Numbers don’t lie. As centerpiece of Philippine agriculture, availability of up-to-date statistics on the performance of the rice industry is of big help for decision-makers and other players to implement the next key programs, research activities, and interventions. Accepting the challenge, DA-PhilRice has launched the Statistical Laboratory and Data Center (StatLab) and the PhilRice Data Analytics Initiative (RiceLytics) to respectively expand its data management and analysis capacity, and to provide […]

Farmers may now claim their free certified inbred rice seeds from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) – Seed Program through the digital Binhi e-Padala system. In the Binhi e-Padala system, the Institute sends an SMS to a farmer’s validated mobile number indicating his/her name, allocation, pick-up point, and assigned schedule. Farmers may select at least three preferred varieties based on recommended national and regional varieties. Partner seed grower cooperatives and […]