The power of printed words. Rodel Guevarra, a farmer-leader from Pagsanjan, Laguna, shared that the leaflet, “Pesteng Insekto at Sakit,” corrected his misconceptions on common pests and diseases. “I used to believe that rice seeds from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) are carriers of the “tungro” disease so I was hesitant to use them.  However, through the leaflet, I am taught that I should be wary of green leafhoppers […]

Beyond the classroom. Cheryl Bundalian, a young instructor at Southern Luzon State University (SLSU), can now better educate her students in agriculture with the completion of her training under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. According to Bundalian, she had been teaching her students the Minus-One Element Technique (MOET), a nutrient diagnostic tool, but was only able to try the technology during the training. She also used the ICT-based applications such […]

MINUS-ONE BUT PLUS YIELD. Farmers in Catanauan and Lopez, Quezon learn about the Minus-One Element Technique (MOET) in a recent five-day training conducted by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) and Quezon local government unit. MOET is a farmer-friendly and quick soil analysis kit used in diagnosing soil nutrient status including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and copper. DA-PhilRice developed MOET to address high cost of soil chemical test, […]

Farmers and extension workers expressed contentment with the implementation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) in a recent consultation conducted in Agdangan, Quezon. Marvin Valle, agricultural technician, said that the seed deliveries and distribution in the wet season were well-facilitated and that inbred seed provisions were of high quality. “Farmers and agriculturists noted that RCEF activities were well-coordinated. They also mentioned that the quality of seeds was ‘tested and […]

Farmer-partners in the technology demonstrations under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)-Seed Program promote the use of farm machines to minimize rice production costs. Following farm recommendations in the demo sites dubbed as Palay Sikatan, farmers Eduardo Cabago and Jonathan de Guia shared the benefits of using machines on crop establishment. The said farmers, who offered their farms in Mabitac, Laguna to showcase farm machines and recommended rice varieties, said […]

A farmer and now acting director of Javenri Harvest Farm School, Bryan S.  Dizon recognizes the importance of Minus-One Element Technique (MOET) kits on minimizing the expenses of Palawan farmers. The diagnostic tool, which determines the nutrient levels of rice soils, helps farmers practice the effective application of fertilizer on farmlands. “Palawan farmers usually apply complete fertilizers, but that should not be the case. With MOET kits, farmers can make […]