A. Department of Agriculture Secretary, Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.  reiterated DA’s support to Presidential Communications Office (PCO) as it stands united in its pledge to deliver transparent, accurate, and reliable information to the public. B. Communication heads from various DA agencies participate in the discussion in the Food Security Cluster Communication Workshop 2024 , which seeks to broaden and deepen the understanding of government communicators and media practitioners on the […]

The Quezon Codcod RiceBIS Farmers’ Agriculture Cooperative (QUECORIFACO) in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental on March 19 received a P5.2 million equipment grant to support its expanding agribusiness ventures.  The Bank of the Philippine Islands Foundation (BPIF), Inc. is equipping the organization with enterprise machines that include a truck and a rice mill, which will enhance their transport and production necessities. “QueCoRiFACo currently comprises five associations with plans to expand […]

PhilRice Bicol marked its 13th anniversary on March 21, celebrating a legacy of unwavering commitment to agricultural excellence and the betterment of rice-farming communities. The branch station has been at the forefront of advancing the development and dissemination of strategies and technologies aimed at making rice and rice-based farming more resilient to climate change. Over the years, PhilRice Bicol has engaged more than 10,000 clients through various capacity enhancement activities. […]

To emphasize the importance of unity and collaboration among Filipino farmers and the rice industry stakeholders, more than 1,000 participants, including farmers, students, extension workers, and researchers, gathered at PhilRice, Nueva Ecija on March 20–21. The gathering highlighted the active engagement of  farmers, agricultural officers, extension workers, representatives from various LGUs, schools, colleges, and universities. Lakbay Palay is a bi-annual farmers’ field day and forum, sponsored by the Rice Competitiveness […]

Farmers of San Jose, Camarines Sur voted for NSIC Rc 480 as their top preferred variety during the “Lakbay Palay at PalayTalakayan sa Binhing Palay Farm” on March 18. The variety impressed farmers with its excellent crop stand, productive tillers, and long grains. Other rainfed varieties showcased were NSIC Rc 416, Rc 472, and Rc 568 that also received positive feedback from the farmers due to their resilience to drought. […]

To address the critical rice production gaps of Region 12, PhilRice Midsayap held inception meetings on March 19-21 to introduce and scale three technologies namely: Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR), and saline rice varieties.  In Kiamba, Sarangani, 18 farmer-beneficiaries have already started planting saline rice varieties, a strategic move to combat low rice production in the province’s saline environment. This effort is part of PhilRice Midsayap’s technology […]

To create awareness and understanding of the effects of Climate Change, the DA-Crop Biotechnology Center (DA-CBC) in collaboration with the Genetic Resources Division (GRD) held the “International Symposium on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation for Sustainable Agriculture,” on March 3 at the DA-CBC plenary hall.  The symposium discussed the potential of genes and fertilization practices to modify plant root system architecture for climate resilience and mitigation. It also discussed the […]

The Future Rice Farm in Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, on Feb. 23, has progressed with a milestone as it housed the ground breaking of a science park called sPark. Funded by the Kiwanis International Philippine Luzon district under the leadership of Gov. Glenda Hufano, the sParK serves as a venue for teaching rice science to the children and honing their leadership skills.  “Let’s start teaching them young and […]

PhilRice Batac and Isabela have renewed their commitment to excellence, a core value that has been at the center of their operations, during their 25th and 32nd anniversary, respectively. With a month-long theme, “DA-PhilRice Batac@25: Navigating Milestones, Cultivating Excellence,” the station highlighted its celebration through its Pammadayaw awarding ceremony, held on Feb. 22, to honor its exceptional employees and partners. In 2023, PhilRice Batac, under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund […]

Palayamanan Plus model farm in PhilRice Midsayap will launch hydroponics as an additional component in its set-up this March. Ommal Abdulkadil, lead of the station’s Branch Development Initiatives, said that by testing the new component in their locality, they aim to evaluate its potential to enhance farmers’ income from rice-based crops. This will be achieved by transitioning from manually fabricated hydroponics using PVC pipes to advanced technology hydroponics. He added […]