Aimed at making the public hybrid rice seed system sustainable, a community-organized hybrid rice farming and marketing setup will soon take root in Apayao.
A preparatory season-long training on F1 Hybrid Rice Commercialization participated in by 30 inbred and hybrid rice farmers started on September 21 in Bacsay, Luna.
“Through the training, we hope to tap and engage capable farmers in hybrid rice cultivation and seed production. Then we link them to the market and make the F1 seeds available for commercialization,” project lead Dr. Ofelia C. Malonzo described the initiative.
In partnership with DA-Regional Field Office Cordillera, the provincial agriculturist of Apayao, and the municipal agriculture office of Luna, the training polished the knowledge of farmers on F1 hybrid rice cultivation. Public hybrids PSB Rc 72H (Mestizo 1) and Rc 204H (Mestiso 20) were showcased during the training.
Bacsay Irrigators’ Association chairperson Erlinda P. Felipe said they are very excited about the project. “The average yield in our barangay is only 5-6t/ha and as we know, hybrid varieties offer more. That is why we look ahead to the fruition of this initiative,” she said.
The training is part of the Community-Organized Hybrid Rice Farming and Marketing (COHRFarM) component of the Rice Development Initiatives for Cagayan Valley and CAR Environments (RICCE) project.
