Through the DA-PhilRice Batac Farm Wise project’s localized weather updates and advisories, farmers in Region 1 have improved their farm decision-making, which resulted in good crop stands. The project generates localized weather forecasts and crop advisories, and delivers them to the farmers. The 10-day localized weather outlook from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is categorized per municipality for Ilocos Norte/Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan. Data are […]

To enhance the competitiveness of rice farmers, the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) in Ilocos Norte and the local government unit of Piddig tied up in promoting high-yielding varieties and cost-reducing technologies through a Farmer Field School (FFS). The FFS showcased a nationally recommended high-yielding inbred variety, NSIC Rc 160, and newly-released varieties NSIC Rc 508 and Rc 512, which yield from 5.6 to 10.8t/ha.   Cost-reducing technologies for […]

Participants in the Lakbay Palay hosted by Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) in Batac City, Ilocos Norte, had reported that they learned ways to gain savings during the activity, Oct. 26. With the theme, “Bukid Tipid Tips, Subukan!”, the field day highlighted cost-reducing technologies to more than 200 farmers and extension workers.  “In Bauang, La Union, we spend around PhP45,000 for a hectare. We were impressed that machines […]

The Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) and DA-PhilRice Batac are intensifying the promotion of modern rice production technologies and youth engagement in agriculture through farm tourism. MMSU Pres. Shirley Agrupis explained that the collaborative project is a “contribution to reinvigorating the agriculture sector by showcasing innovative rice production technologies.” Farm tourism through rice paddy art established at MMSU featured Gen. Artemio Ricarte, a native of Batac City and the “Father […]

The Philippine Rice Research Institute – Batac has established nine new technology demonstration sites in Region 1 this wet season 2022 under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Seed Program. Dubbed PalaySikatan, the technology demonstration project uses research-based rice production technologies and on-farm performance of mechanically established inbred rice varieties. In partnership with the local government units of Tagudin, Salcedo and Quirino in Ilocos Sur and San Gabriel and Balaoan in La […]

Farmers who graduated from the Farmer Field School (FFS) under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF-RESP) reported that the training courses and the PalayCheck primers helped in increasing their yield. “The PalayCheck primer has been our guide in modern rice farming. It tackles topics from seed selection to post-harvest. It is  my routine to read first the primer before visiting my farm every morning,” Edgard […]

About 70,000 farmers in the Ilocos Region will receive 114,000 bags of certified inbred rice seeds from March until June under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) – Seed Program. Farmers can select from national recommended varieties, which include NSIC Rc 216, 222, and 402 and regional recommended varieties such as NSIC Rc 160, 358, and 480.  Studies show that use of high-quality seeds can increase harvest by 10% or […]

Tagudin, Ilocos Sur – Fertilizer recommendations based on Minus-One Element Technique (MOET) analysis is expected to help farmers here reduce their fertilizer expenses.  The recommendations, according to Bethzaida M. Catudan, focal person of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) – Seed Program in Batac City, Ilocos Norte, are generated for provinces covered by the program to complement the certified inbred seeds distributed to the farmers. Fernando Borje of Brgy. Bitalag shared […]

Agricultural extension workers, local government unit farmer leaders, and representatives from farm schools, partner agencies, and state universities and colleges in Region 1 acquired knowledge on rice production technologies after the intensive Training of Trainers (TOT) under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF-RESP) on April 18-29 and May 10-21. The training centered on the production of high-quality inbred rice seeds, farm mechanization, knowledge-sharing competencies, ICT-based tools and […]

ROSARIO, LA UNION – Farmer-beneficiaries of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)-Seed Program are happy with the Binhi e-Padala system, a digitally-aided seed distribution mechanism established for faster and easier seed distribution. In this system, select farmers are informed through a text message about their schedule for receiving seeds, their claim codes, and details about their seed allocation. Jayson Albay, one of the farmer-beneficiaries, said it is convenient for farmers […]