Fifty families in Pinili, Ilocos Norte, receive gift packs through a community assistance activity funded by proceeds from the National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM) Palayathlon, an advocacy run that promotes rice appreciation and responsible consumption. The activity also supported the Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC), providing assistance to women, children, and families in need. The initiative was implemented by Philippine Rice Research Institute in Batac City […]

Farmers in Barangay Duplas, San Juan, La Union, are gaining ground against destructive rice diseases through practical knowledge and hands-on experience from the PalayCheck Farmer Field School (FFS) under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund–Rice Extension Services Program. For farmer-participant Florencio Ancheta, the sudden yellowing and drying of rice leaves raised alarm. Nearly three-fourths of his 1,200-sqm plot had been struck by bacterial leaf blight (BLB), a disease that can reduce […]

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 Business Innovations System (RiceBIS) community in Batac City, Ilocos Norte received a financial boost in their agro-enterprise endeavors from Senator Bong Go’s Malasakit sa Kooperatiba Program, in collaboration with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), on May 10 in Rosales, Pangasinan. The Rayuray Farmers Agriculture Cooperative was among the 22 recipients of PhP50,000 financial grant in Region I, empowering them to boost their agricultural productivity and enhance their economic […]

The Rice Business Innovations System (RiceBIS) community in Batac City, Ilocos Norte celebrated a significant boost to their agro-enterprise efforts through Senator Bong Go’s Malasakit sa Kooperatiba Program, in partnership with the Cooperative Development Authority.  Among the beneficiaries, the Rayuray Farmers Agriculture Cooperative received a PhP50,000 grant, empowering them to enhance agricultural productivity and economic sustainability. Cooperative members also participated in an orientation on business continuity management, equipping them with […]

Jenipher Onera, a recent farm school owner, charts a remarkable course from overseas Filipino worker (OFW) to a successful rice educator; thanks to the emblematic impact of her thirst for knowledge nourished by Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF RESP). After 18 years as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), she returned to her hometown in Batac, Ilocos Norte when her mother […]

The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF RESP) is intensifying its efforts to enhance the skills of trainers from learning sites and farm schools in the Ilocos Region.  Nonilon I. Martin, RCEF extension focal, said they are expanding their outreach to include more trainers, aiming to strengthen their capacity to assist farmers in addressing field challenges and adopting mechanized operations in rice production. “We aim to encourage […]

The  rice paddy art of Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte was unveiled Sept. 6 showcasing the merging of cultural heritage and sustainable farming practices,  A collaboration between Ilocos Norte Agricultural College (INAC),  Mariano Marcos State University, and Philippine Rice Research Institute, the rice paddy art was created using traditional IR 1552 purple rice and high-yield NSIC Rc 222 variety. A first for INAC, the artwork featured in […]

The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF RESP) has responded to the information needs of farmers in Adams – the smallest town in Ilocos Norte. According to Nonilon Martin, RCEF extension focal, the town’s rice growers led by Municipal Agriculturist Clarita Tigui-ing, requested the program implementers in Batac City, Ilocos Norte to help them increase their yield currently at almost 4t/ha. The province’s average yield is almost […]

Farmers in San Manuel, Pangasinan have resolved nutrient deficiencies in their rice fields with the learning gained from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Services Program (RESP). “[We didn’t know what was infecting our field]. We already applied all kinds of pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides but were not effective. We only learned that our field lacks zinc when the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Batac City and our […]