Philippine Rice Research Institute joined the annual nationwide observance of Nutrition Month in July by promoting healthier and more sustainable diets.
In a webinar, in-house nutritionist-dietitian Dr. Riza Abilgos-Ramos, stressed: “Food can fix it! A sustainable and healthy diet promotes all dimensions of an individual’s health and well-being. It has low environmental pressure and impact on our planet.”
Adopting the theme “Batang Pinoy SANA TALL… Iwas stunting SAMA ALL!”, the Institute also partnered with registered-pharmacist-turned-social-media-influencer Ramo Christian “Arshie” Larga to promote brown rice consumption. Larga was named TikTok Philippines’ top educational content creator for 2020.
Four videos explaining the benefits of brown rice and more were posted on the Institute’s official Facebook page and Larga’s TikTok page.
“Brown rice can be considered as one of the whole-grain cereals. It’s healthier compared to white rice because it’s rich in nutrients like protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals,” Larga said in one of his videos that reached 81,500 views in the TikTok app.
As the observance was heating up nationwide, farmer-participants of the “Sa Palay at Gulay, may Ani, Hanapbuhay, Oportunidad, at Nutrisyon” (PAG-AHON) Project in Lupao, Nueva Ecija were planting vegetables.
Farmers harvested 270 kilos of pechay and mustard in August that earned them a combined income of P10,400.
According to Dr. Roel Suralta of PhilRice, PAG-AHON project lead, market-matching is provided so that harvests will reach the consumers. The Manila-based Dizon Farms, a market linked by project partner East-West Seed Company, bought the initial harvest. The project is part of the Department of Agriculture’s Plant Plant Plant program.
