Dr. Flordeliza H. Bordey, DA-PhilRice Deputy Executive Director for Special Concerns, is one of this year’s Presidential Lingkod Bayan awardees recognized on Nov. 15 in a virtual ceremony where President Rodrigo Duterte bestowed the awards. Dr. Bordey, who has been in government service for 21 years, is a distinguished economist, policy advocate, and rice research for development practitioner. She currently serves as the head of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund […]

The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) and the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE) sealed an agreement to work together in joint projects in agriculture and sustainable use of natural resources, Nov. 11. MATE is one of the largest agricultural-focused, multi-disciplinary higher education institutions in Europe. The cooperation includes plant breeding and associated technologies, biotechnology, sustainable nature development, food safety and quality, training and educational programs, […]

Rice stakeholders need to collaborate to develop game-changing strategies for the rice sector in the new normal. Dr. Mercedita A. Sombilla, undersecretary for regional development of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), stressed this in her speech during the Ugnay Palay: 33rd National Rice R4D e-conference, hosted by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), Nov. 4-5. “As the government continues to develop strategies in the rice industry […]

Availability and access to credible and updated information prove to be particularly crucial as this pandemic grinds on. But with or without pandemic, knowledge on rice production is important to sustain an efficient and productive rice industry. Notwithstanding stringent health and safety protocols, various capacity enhancement initiatives were conducted by DA-PhilRice Midsayap for its staff members, rice farmers, and other rice stakeholders. In August, 11 Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) […]

The graduate If you thought people of age are stubborn and not open to modern ideas, meet Nanay Cecilia F. Tagobador, 54-year-old farmer from Bago City, Negros Occidental. She is one of the 125 farmers who graduated from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Farmer Field School facilitated by MBA Forest Technical School Inc. under the auspices of the RCEF Extension program. “We learned that spraying pesticide should not be […]

PhilRice Bicol station is participating in the Institute-wide Walk your Talk Challenge (WokTok) that aims to capacitate all DA-PhilRice personnel/ staff on the PalayCheck System. After several sessions, participants are now building up knowledge and skills through blended discussions, live demonstrations of farm activities and machine operations, and hands-on fieldwork that will help them serve farmers more confidently. For security officer Anthony Chad Guazon, among the most important lessons he […]

The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) – Seed and Extension Programs conducted Social Mobilization and CapacityBuilding Workshops in September through October 2021. With 145 participants from local government units (LGUs) of Cavite, Laguna, and Quezon, the workshops laid out challenges and opportunities for better RCEF implementation. According to Senior Agriculturist Sheryl M. Sinense of Tagkawayan, Quezon, the workshop made her aware of the challenges other municipalities are facing during seed […]

Twenty Rice Specialists’ Training Course (RSTC) and 96 Farmer Field School (FFS) participants have completed their training on the latest farm technologies. The trainees from Regions 10, 11, and 13 are now specialists in the production of high-quality inbred rice, seed certification, and farm mechanization. RSTC participants work in the DA-Regional Field Office, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Municipal Agriculture Office, Farmers’ Cooperatives and Associations, and accredited farm schools of […]

Aimed at making the public hybrid rice seed system sustainable, a community-organized hybrid rice farming and marketing setup will soon take root in Apayao. A preparatory season-long training on F1 Hybrid Rice Commercialization participated in by 30 inbred and hybrid rice farmers started on September 21 in Bacsay, Luna. “Through the training, we hope to tap and engage capable farmers in hybrid rice cultivation and seed production. Then we link […]

The Rice Business Innovations System (RiceBIS) – Batac has conducted a farm walk in Bugasi, Banna, Ilocos Norte that showcased high-yielding varieties and cost-reducing technologies. Employing PalayCheck, an integrated crop management system, the varieties shown were NSIC Rc 480, Rc 506, Rc 508, Rc 510, and Rc 512. It also used the mechanical transplanter and multi-purpose seeder for crop establishment. Most of the farmers preferred NSIC Rc 510 (Tubigan 43) […]