Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), the country’s lead agency for rice research for development, pushes for the use of high-quality inbred seeds and its associated technologies to help farmers become competitive and survive the influx of cheaper rice from the international market. According to PhilRice experts, competitiveness means increasing farmers’ yield by at least 5 tons per hectare for inbred seeds and reducing their production cost by 30%. Signed on […]

Beginning of smart farming. Ilocano farmers in Batac City, Ilocos Norte are recently taught on producing mushroom as another source of income. A component of Palayamanan Plus or rice-based crop diversification and crop-animal integration, mushroom production  uses rice hull in fruit bag preparation. Thus, burning of rice hull in farming communities are lessened. PhilRice Batac conducted the three-day training.  

Off to Japan. As part of their preparatory course before a training in Japan, 21 young farmers from across the country completed a week-long training on Farm Machinery Operation and Safety with PalayCheck System at PhilRice Central Experiment Station in Nueva Ecija, February 15. The participants, recipients of the Young Filipino Farm Leaders’ Training Program by the Agricultural Exchange Council, are set for an 11-month training starting April in Japan.

Drone in the farms. Experts from FutureRice Farm of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) will monitor rice growth using drone and other modern farming technologies. Promoting precision agriculture, drone was used in direct-seeding and mechanical transplanter for rice establishment. Fertilizers and herbicides will also be applied using the drone spreader and sprayer systems this 2019 dry season. FutureRice Farm’s study on drone and other modern farming technologies is in […]

Sharing is caring. Seventy-four families from indigenous people community near PhilRice Bicol receive packed rice, dry goods, and used clothing. The IPs from barangays Joroan, Misibis, and Mayong in Tiwi, Albay are also currently involved in the project, Phase II: Enhancing the Capabilities of Bicol Agta’s IPs through Palayamanan Approach, which is jointly implemented by PhilRice Bicol and PhilRice Los Baños. The IP communities were hit with flash flood and […]

San Mateo, Isabela- Incumbent Isabela Governor Faustino “Bodjie” Dy III commended the Golden Rice project for securing all the necessary requirements first before conducting field-testing, and for initiating dialogues among researchers, policymakers, and the public. “We can see that the researchers behind the Golden Rice Project are really responsible for complying with all the requirements before they proceed to the actual field trial. Hence, let us give them the benefit […]

Mestiso 20 (NSIC Rc 204H), a public hybrid rice bred by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and University of the Philippines in Los Banos, showed good performance in the technology demonstration farms in Region I. “The performance of M20 is at par with the hybrid rice varieties of private companies. I observed M20 didn’t need too much fertilizer,” Teresita Sugitan, a farmer in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte said during […]

Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija – Superior rice varieties from the public breeding sector can be expected soon with the completion of a Genetic Resources Laboratory and Genebank housed at the Central Experiment Station of Philippine Rice Research Institute. Worth P23 million, the newly inaugurated facility houses more than 5000 Philippine traditional rice varieties and more than 16000 germplasm collections, which will provide the genes needed in breeding new […]

  Farmers participate in Hybrid Rice Derby. More than 200 rice farmers, researchers, agricultural technicians, and local officials participated in the Hybrid Rice Derby: Provincial Techno Forum and Harvest Festival in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur on February 1. One of the 18 hybrid rice varieties showcased is Mestiso 20, a public hybrid rice that yields 6.4-11.7t/ha and matures in 111 days.

Sen. Cynthia Villar expressed confidence that government institutions will effectively implement the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or RICE fund once the tariffication bill is passed into law. “Kailangang magtiwala sa kanila dahil kung hindi, walang mangyayari (We need to trust them for the programs to work),” Villar told media in a graduation ceremony of the trainees on quality inbred rice seeds production and farm mechanization late last year. A government’s […]