With a smartphone in one hand and a rice seedling in the other, 28-year-old Rovie A. Dela Peña of Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, is promoting a modern approach to rice farming. Dela Peña trains farmers to use the PalayCheck App, a digital guide for rice production that helps farmers plan each cropping season, track farm activities and expenses, and follow recommendations tailored to their location and crop growth stage.  […]

Farmers beyond the Ilocos Region are embracing a low-cost bamboo-bin dryer promoted by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Batac, Ilocos Norte. This postharvest technology is transforming how palay is dried, making the process more affordable, efficient, and reliable. Jovelyn Mandalihan of Brgy. Laon, Mogpog, Marinduque, first heard about the dryer through Facebook. Curious, she traveled to Ilocos Norte to buy one for her household. What began […]

Across the island provinces of Romblon, Marinduque, and Palawan, the arrival of certified rice seeds was once marked by waiting—waiting at ports, waiting through inspections, and waiting under the sun as shipments from faraway provinces slowly made their way to farmers’ fields. Each delay carried a cost, and each journey put seed quality at risk. For the Strengthening Seed Growers’ Cooperatives and Associations (SSGCA) project team of the Rice Competitiveness […]

In Barangay Malapay, Pio Duran, Albay, the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program, implemented by the Department of Agriculture–Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), has transformed the life of Alvin B. Tumala, a rice farmer and person with disability (PWD). At 49, Tumala embodies resilience and hope, proving that with the right support, farmers can rise above challenges and thrive. Before the RCEF Seed Program reached their community, Tumala and […]

Modern rice technology has opened a new path for 37-year-old Jayson A. Numos of Barangay Duplas, San Juan, La Union. Once unsure about entering farming, he is now a registered farmer and a confident operator of a mechanical transplanter after seeing its benefits firsthand through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program.  Numos’ interest grew during the Ceremonial Crop Establishment of the 50-ha PalaySikatan techno demo in their barangay. […]

Agricultural extension workers (AEWs) in Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte return to their communities with renewed confidence after completing the two-day Appreciation Course on Rice Science and Technology Updates at the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) in Midsayap, North Cotabato. A total of 25 AEWs from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MAFAR-BARMM) joined the training, which equipped them […]

Farmers in Central Luzon are embracing smarter, modernized rice production to boost long-term sustainability through the Scalable, Modern, and Adaptive Rice Technologies for Better Rice Farming Communities (SMART Farm) Program, a flagship initiative of the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) and its local partners. The program promotes the widespread adoption of advanced technologies such as the PalayCheck System, a dynamic rice crop management framework that integrates improved key […]

In a step toward advancing agricultural innovation, the Research for Development and Extension (R4DE) staff of DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) in Midsayap, North Cotabato, recently enhanced their capacity to safeguard groundbreaking research through an intensive Intellectual Property (IP) Awareness Training Workshop. This transformative training equipped researchers with critical knowledge and skills on the full spectrum of IP management—from filing to protecting and leveraging intellectual property—to ensure that PhilRice’s cutting-edge […]

Neither storms nor pest infestations stopped Iloilo and Negros Occidental rice farmers from continuing their learning journey under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed and Extension programs, as they pushed through with their PalaySikatan Harvest Festivals and PalayCheck Farmers’ Field School (FFS) Field Days despite unfavorable conditions. In Brgy. Pajo, Pototan, Iloilo, over 90 farmer-partners endured heavy rains and strong southwest monsoon winds while participating in a short field […]

Farmers and extension workers across the Philippines are reporting bigger harvests and advancing into key professional and leadership roles after completing training programs offered by the Department of Agriculture–Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice). Marking its 40th year, PhilRice’s programs—including the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) and the Rice Business Innovations System (RiceBIS)—are transforming participants into not only more productive rice growers but also mentors, trainers, and resource persons guiding fellow […]