Farmers in Central Luzon are embracing smarter, modernized rice production to boost long-term sustainability through the Scalable, Modern, and Adaptive Rice Technologies for Better Rice Farming Communities (SMART Farm) Program, a flagship initiative of the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) and its local partners.
The program promotes the widespread adoption of advanced technologies such as the PalayCheck System, a dynamic rice crop management framework that integrates improved key technologies and management practices. This is complemented by data-driven fertilizer application using digital tools and farm mechanization, all designed to significantly increase productivity and efficiency in rice production.
The partnership was formalized on August 12 through a memorandum of agreement among PhilRice, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA)–Tarlac, Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO)–Victoria, and the Victoria Reduce Tillage Technology Association (VRTTA).
Through this partnership, farmers committed to adopting the PalayCheck System with the goal of reaching rice yields of up to seven tons per hectare. The commitment is bolstered by a mandated use of digital tools through 2028, including the Minus-One-Element Technique App, which guides precise fertilizer management to optimize nutrient application.
Additionally, the program promotes the use of riding-type mechanical transplanters to improve planting efficiency on a large scale.
To support this, 18 members of VRTTA received 90 bags of fertilizer (urea and complete) from OPA-Tarlac under a roll-over scheme, where costs will be lent to other members after harvest to ensure ongoing nutrient support. The program also offers training on pest and nutrient management to sustain good agricultural practices.
PhilRice and OPA-Tarlac plan to expand the SMART Farm Program to more municipalities each cropping season. The goal is to reach approximately 4,000 farmers through PhilRice branch stations starting in the 2026 dry season.
The program’s technologies will also be recommended to the National Rice Program (NRP) and integrated into Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) PalaySikatan sites.
Following the MOA signing, 28 farmers from Victoria, Tarlac, completed a 12-day training on pest and nutrient management using the PalayCheck System. The training equipped participants to conduct Agro-Ecosystem Analysis (AESA) for effective pest control and apply fertilizer using the Right Element, Amount, and Timing (Right EAT) principle to reduce costs and increase yields.
“Let us forget the old ways and embrace the modern technologies taught by the experts,” said Alfredo F. Villacentino Jr., one of the newly trained farmers.
Dr. Eduardo Jimmy P. Quilang, PhilRice deputy executive director for research, commended the farmers’ active participation, emphasizing, “When there is hope, learning, and cooperation, an abundant harvest will surely follow.”
With strong collaboration among PhilRice, local governments, and farmer organizations, the SMART Farm Program continues to champion science-based, cost-efficient, and sustainable rice production. By 2028, it aims to help farmers achieve higher productivity through digital innovations, mechanization, and adaptive farming practices—strengthening the future of rice farming in Central Luzon and beyond.
