Seed distribution is now just a QR code scan away in Santo Niño, South Cotabato, following the successful implementation of Binhi e-Padala—a digital system developed by DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) to distribute free Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) inbred certified seeds. The municipality, under PhilRice Midsayap’s area of responsibility, distributed its total allocation of over 8,000 bags of certified seeds to more than 2,000 farmers across 10 barangays, covering […]

Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) PalaySikatan 2.0 technology demonstration officer, Joakim Roe H. Lasco, is taking a new approach to influencing farmers in Tago, Surigao del Sur, to adopt rice management strategies through knowledge sharing and learning (KSL) activities.  Lasco, a graduate of the RCEF Rice Specialists’ Training Course, conducts regular meetings with farmer-partners to discuss the current conditions of crops in the field, and supplements these with further discussions […]

ILOILO—With fertilizer prices reaching as high as P2,700 per 50kg bag, rice farmers in the province are increasingly adopting the Minus-One-Element Technique (MOET), a soil diagnostic tool that identifies nutrient deficiencies in paddies and guides proper fertilizer use. According to the Department of Agriculture’s Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, the average cost of six major fertilizer grades currently ranges from P840 to P2,700. For farmers like Marilyn V. Duco, 69, of […]

In the quiet upland areas of Agusan del Sur, the journey to productive farming once felt like a steep climb—literally and figuratively. The remote locations and outdated farming methods often left local rice farmers at the mercy of poor yields and unpredictable conditions.  For years, farmers relied on traditional farming, planting “good seeds” from previous harvests that were stored in recycled containers, often exposed to moisture and pests, which resulted […]

Farmers in remote areas of Isabela and Abra reported higher yields after integrating  modern rice-farming apps in their production activities through the DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute’s short course on pest and nutrient management (PNM) under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF RESP).  The training focused on managing two of the most critical factors that diminish rice production: pest damage and improper fertilizer use. The Institute introduced […]

Farmers in Marag Village in Luna, Apayao, are seeing improved harvests as the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) program expands to their province, enabling DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Isabela to provide more training and support. Before the intervention, farmers relied on inbred rice seeds with lower yields, but since receiving support from PhilRice and other agricultural institutions starting in 2013, their harvests have significantly increased. James A. Trumpo, a […]

After being hit by six consecutive typhoons in 2024, discolored palay grains are prominently laid out and dried under the sun in Canaman, Camarines Sur. “When a typhoon hits, we barely have any income because our rice yield rots. Like now, a lot of it is rotten. More than a hectare was ruined,” Frankie E. Bolocon lamented. According to the farmers, no rice traders would buy these rice grains anymore, […]

(Part 2 of 4) Delivering rice science to farmers In a slaughterhouse-turned-warehouse in Abucay, Bataan, a steady stream of farmers continues to arrive. Some look for a comfortable position, others swarm in a line with urgency, and some are patient enough to wait for their cue. Farmer Jose A. Dela Rosa, 62, arrived before 8:30 a.m. “It was announced in the Abucay farmers’ group chat that free rice seeds would […]

A four-part series The rice we Filipinos eat isn’t all the same. Some are soft and sticky; their grains are either short or long and slender; and even their aromas differ. This is because their characteristics vary due to the traits combined through the process called rice breeding. A tale unknown to many, one of the farmers’ hurdles is how to critically choose which rice variety to cultivate. Beyond its […]

Two rice farmers from opposite sides—the northern and central part of the country—are proving that learning new techniques can transform not just their harvests but their lives. Fredric B. de Guzman, 45, from Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, used to rely on farming practices handed down through generations. Like many farmers, he believed that crowding more seeds in a small seedbed meant better yields. But that changed in 2024, when he […]