The Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) is set to distribute 1.8 million (M) bags of certified seeds to more than 740,000 farmers this 2022 wet season through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program.

More farmers and extension intermediaries are improving their rice farming knowledge and skills through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF-RESP). Dr. Karen Eloisa T. Barroga, DA-PhilRice deputy executive director for development and RCEF-RESP vice-chairperson, reported reaching some 8M stakeholders in 2021 through PhilRice’s training, communication support services, as well as knowledge sharing and learning activities. This was presented during the recent DA-PhilRice RCEF Seeds and Extension annual […]

Local government units (LGUs) in the 42 target provinces of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)-Seed Program were recognized for their outstanding contribution in the rollout of the certified seeds to the rice farmers. In distributing the seeds, Crisostomo Rabaca, provincial agriculturist of Zambales, said that the systematic implementation of the RCEF-Seed Program enabled them to properly perform on the ground. “Your agency’s system — from planning, delivery, distribution, up […]

Mapanique, San Pascual, Masbate – This dry season 2022, the PhilRice Bicol techno-demo team has established an additional 6-ha varietal technology demonstration site under the RCEF – Seed Program. This aims to help small-scale farmers in Burias Island become competitive and breeze into modern rice production through the use of high-yielding inbred varieties and new farming technologies and machinery. In partnership with the LGU of San Pascual and its municipal […]

Rice farmers had produced almost 20 million metric tons (MMT) of palay in 2021, hitting an all-time high record, based on data released on Wednesday by the Philippine Statistics Authority. The new record high palay output of 19.96MMT, which was driven by the strong rice harvest from first to fourth quarter, is 3.45% higher than the previous production of 19.29MMT in 2020. “We would have easily breached 20MMT as Typhoon […]

Some 380 trainers and farmers are to be trained under the RCEF – RESP in 2022. The trainings, short courses, and farmer field schools will include rice stakeholders from Regions 9, 12, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Sixty rice specialists and 90 trainers will be trained on production of high-quality inbred rice seeds and farm mechanization; and on pest and nutrient management. Dr. Sailila E. Abdula, […]

Farmers from seven LGUs in Antique, Aklan, and Capiz participated in the recent establishment of the Minus-OneElement Technique setup and RCEF PalaySikatan TechnoDemo Farmers’ Field Day. The 130 farmers learned how to determine the right fertilizer amount and element for their rice fields, as well as the results, if they follow the technology practices recommended by DA-PhilRice. The setting up of MOET is a project under the RCEF-Seed Program. Meanwhile, […]

Thirty-six farmers in Brgy. Bacsay, Luna, Apayao have learned how to produce hybrid rice and market it through the recently concluded Training on Hybrid Rice Commercialization. This is under the station’s Community Organized Hybrid Rice Farming and Marketing (COHFarM) project. The training was an initial step to prepare the participants for the Season-long Training on Hybrid Seed Production and Certification, simultaneous with the establishment of learning fields on AxR hybrid […]

The local government of Nueva Ecija is the first province in the country to enact an ordinance on the truthful labeling of rice based on the recommendations of the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) and the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) Policy Research and Advocacy teams. The ordinance requires rice retailers to indicate valid, reliable, and complete information about the prescribed milling classification, price, and source of rice […]

With the recent reports on swarms of rice black bugs (RBB) seen in parts of Regions II and III, Genaro S. Rillon, crop protection expert from the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), explained that the insects are migrating populations looking for food, habitat, and places to lay their eggs. RBB is a sap-feeding insect that attacks rice plants in almost all stages of growth. It is most destructive […]