To strengthen rice clusters nationwide, a specialized training course has equipped implementers of the Rice Business Innovations System (RiceBIS) and regional agricultural staff with key skills in managing and supporting farmer cooperatives. Held on May 20–22 in partnership with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), the workshop aimed to boost the capacity of implementers to guide farmers’ cooperatives and associations toward long-term sustainability. “This training ensures our implementers are better informed […]

DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is urging farmers to intensify field monitoring as four major rice pests are expected to infest rice areas until the end of June. PhilRice urged farmers in Central Luzon, Western Visayas, the Cordillera Administrative Region, and the Bicol Region to closely monitor their fields for signs of rodents, rice stemborers, brown planthoppers, and rice bugs. If left unmanaged, these pests could lead to significant yield […]

The local terms for rice ratooning are sagibo in Guimba and sangang-buko in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija. Sangang-buko literally translates as “that which branched out (sanga) from the joint (buko),” providing an accurate depiction of the rice ratooning process. Despite its cultural significance, academic literature focusing on the practices contextualized in these two towns is scarce. Some studies, such as the research by Gajete et al. (2018), explore the potentials of […]

Two rice farmers from opposite sides—the northern and central part of the country—are proving that learning new techniques can transform not just their harvests but their lives. Fredric B. de Guzman, 45, from Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, used to rely on farming practices handed down through generations. Like many farmers, he believed that crowding more seeds in a small seedbed meant better yields. But that changed in 2024, when he […]

A local rice farmer who has completed  a Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Specialist Training Course (RCEF RSTC) in 2021 is championing safer and more sustainable ways to manage pests in Butuan City. From being a former farm school trainer, Harbielo C. Geray has become an advocate of eco-friendly pest control practices and now runs his own Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA), where he teaches fellow farmers how to manage […]

For more than 40 years, Mizpah Ortega planted rice the way her parents and neighbors did—heavy on seeds, early fertilizer, and frequent insecticide. The result: low yields and rising costs that kept her stuck in a cycle of meager returns. “I could only harvest around 2.8t from my 0.8-ha farm,” Ortega said, now 55. But in March 2020, her decades-old routine began to shift when she joined the Rice Competitiveness […]

To reinforce its commitment to improve rice productivity and cut farm production costs in Region I, 47 staff members of the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) Batac completed a week-long training on the updated PalayCheck System this May.  The PalayCheck System, developed by DA-PhilRice, is a science-based integrated rice production guide designed to help farmers make better crop management decisions. The 2024 edition includes updated best practices on […]

The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program continues to provide support to rice farmers in Southern Leyte, providing access to certified inbred seeds, farm machinery, and training aimed at improving efficiency and productivity. In Brgy. Catmon, St. Bernard, farmer Catalino M. Lacerna, 58, said the assistance he received under the program helped reduce labor requirements during land preparation and planting. “The program introduced us to machines like the walk-behind […]

Producing enough rice to feed the growing Filipino population remains a daunting challenge. Population increased rapidly from 92 million in 2010 to 109 million in 2022, confounded by rising per capita net rice disposable consumption, from 114 kg/year to 136 kg/year during the same decade. Although milled rice production grew substantially, from 10.3 million metric tons (Mt) to 12.9 million Mt, it was not enough to cater to the increasing […]

Palay farmgate price is a key consideration in a farmer’s decision to plant: a high price pushes them to cultivate rice in larger areas; a low price could make them plant other crops. Consequently, the rise and fall in farmgate price heavily influences changes in wholesale and retail prices of milled rice, compromising the affordability of rice among consumers. With rice eating up the largest share in food expenditures, it […]