The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) is set to launch a new online learning platform on the RCEF Extension Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/RCEFEx) on March 8. Called RCEF PalayAralan, the program will be a magazine-type show for online farmer-viewers with topics on rice production, rice machines, and RCEF services in seed distribution, credit, machinery, and training. Segments will be in the form of “Rice Balita,” which reports news and updates; “Rice […]

For Alex Equias, a training graduate under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Program, farming is a family affair. His view is shared globally as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations declared 2019-2028 as the UN Decade of Farming. The UN published that more than 80% of the food in the world is produced by family farmers. “I want farming to be something my family continues to […]

Living a healthy life is a matter of choice. While some people choose to be healthy, others take on the bigger responsibility to help others live a healthy life.  In the rice industry, there are people who took on the challenge to bring healthier rice options to more Filipinos’ tables.  Rice options to curb malnutrition  Upon learning that 3 of 10 children are malnourished and 7 of 10 women are […]

After previous training on the production of high-quality inbred rice and seeds and farm mechanization, 32 farmer-trainers completed their training in pest and nutrient management, Nov. 14-18.  Conducted under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Services Program in Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, the training included three modules, which also trained them on effectively sharing and facilitating learning to fellow farmers.  “I started this training with limited knowledge […]

Farm machinery introduced in an ongoing training program under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund were perceived gender-neutral by the women participants. “The machines are comfortable and easy to use. A lot of female farmers I know also want to have their own rice machinery because it makes farming easier,” Lorica Avila of Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro, said in a hands-on activity on Oct. 5 in Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. […]

Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija – The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Program deploys 17 trainees from Bulacan, Occidental Mindoro, and Oriental Mindoro here for field training following their 8-week online sessions. From Sept. 19 to Oct. 14, trainees’ skills on field problem diagnosis and evaluation and crop management will be enhanced through agro-ecosystem analysis (AESA). They will also undergo hands-on training on rice machinery operations and roguing among other […]

Trainee-graduates of a recent Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) training who are mostly arm school trainers vowed to be at the frontlines in helping the farmers improve their yield and income through shared learning. In the recent graduation of 34 participants in the training of trainees (TOT), rice specialist Rictor Fortaleza said that the two-week activity has equipped them in educating farmers on modern farm production.  “We went through this […]

Living a healthy life is a matter of choice. While some people choose to be healthy, others take on the bigger responsibility to help others live a healthy life. In the rice industry, there are people who took on the challenge to bring healthier rice options to more Filipinos’ tables. Rice options to curb malnutrition Upon learning that 3 of 10 children are malnourished and 7 of 10 women are […]

After three weeks of training, 29 agricultural extension workers from Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and Bulacan are now ready to train rice farmers in their areas on high-quality inbred rice production, farm mechanization, and pest and nutrient management.  Lea Abaoag, head of DA-PhilRice’s Technology Management and Services Division (TMSD), said that this strategy of combined training was pilot tested in this batch.  “In this training, we combined the topics on producing […]

Farmers in San Rafael, Bulacan have pledged to practice the farming technologies and recommendations introduced during their almost four-month training in a Farmer Field School (FSS) under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Extension Services Program. Janine Viola, top farmer graduate, said that the learning and the time they spent in the FFS could be rewarded with high yield. “I gained knowledge in Agroecosystem Analysis (AESA), nutrient management, and […]