Local government units (LGUs) helping farmers improve rice production will soon get support from upgraded digital tools being developed by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
Under the SMART Farm Program, developers are improving tools such as the PalayCheck App 2.0, the SMART-ICM Monitoring System, and the Scaling Rice Development Initiative Pest and Nutrient Management platform. These systems help LGUs and farmers record farm activities, track field conditions, and generate crop recommendations suited to local conditions.
“These tools are being improved based on field feedback, which will support LGUs in helping farmers address yield gaps, limited machinery access, and climate risks,” said Dindo King M. Donayre, SMART Farm Program lead.
Developers tested the systems using farm data to simplify data entry, improve workflows, and ensure fertilizer options, cropping sequences, and monitoring indicators.
An advisory system is also being updated to include recommendations on nutrient management using diagnostic tools such as the Minus-One-Element Technique (MOET) and the Leaf Color Chart (LCC) and comparisons of around 20 rice varieties farmers may consider before planting.
Planned upgrades include offline capability for field use, simpler farmer registration, and stronger data validation to improve record accuracy.
Donayre said developers aim to complete the upgraded PalayCheck App and monitoring platform by this year’s first quarter to support wider use by LGUs and field technicians.
Moreover, field testing of recommended technologies has also expanded. Direct-seeded rice using inbred varieties was tested in 43 sites while transplanted hybrid rice was evaluated in 47 sites, each covering at least 0.5 ha. Initial crop-cut estimates showed yields reaching 8.56 t/ha for hybrid transplanted rice and 7.33 t/ha for inbred direct-seeded rice.
Interest in the technologies has also grown online. In 2025, social media posts reached more than one million users and generated inquiries mainly about mechanization and transplanting equipment.
Scaling efforts are expected to reach 3,780 farmers including a 30-ha clustered pilot site where local partnerships will help farmers access fertilizer and other inputs.