About 50,000 farmers across the country have learned new technologies from the Lakbay Palay conducted at PhilRice CES and its seven branch stations, and livestreamed in the social media from September to October.
Emilita del Rosario, a 60-year-old member of the Joyful Garden Farm Organic Farmers Association and one of the participants, said that they witnessed the performance of new varieties, which have larger grains than varieties they usually grow.
Farmers were also introduced to Palayamanan – a rice-based farming system they can adopt to mitigate the economic effects of El Niño —high-yielding varieties, farm machinery, and digital farming.
With the theme, “Bida ang Sama-sama,” the Lakbay Palay in Nueva Ecija served as a platform for forming an alliance through the launch of the “BIDA RiceBIS, Be the rice’s best” movement on Sept. 27-28.
At the branch stations, farmers were also briefed on the accomplishments and progress of a government’s flagship program through the theme, “RCEF, ano na?”
Lakbay Palay was conducted in Batac on Oct. 25-26; Los Baños, Oct. 23–24; Agusan, Oct. 13; Negros, Oct. 12-13; Bicol, Sept. 28; Isabela, Sept. 6-8; Midsayap, Aug. 10.
Farmers also encouraged their peers to collaborate to enhance their access to government interventions and market opportunities.
Ariel Dolores, chairperson of Nueva Ecija Seed Growers Multipurpose Cooperative, underscored the need for collaborative efforts and cooperation of agricultural sectors and farmers to have more stability and more progressive farmers.
“Sabihin natin sa ating sarili, taas noo, magsasaka ako. Ating baguhin ang espiritu ng kooperatiba, maging kooperatibang umuunlad sa pagsasaka. Dahil hindi lang bida ang sama-sama, masaya ang sama-sama,” he said.
With allocations from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), Lakbay Palay was also participated in by students to raise their awareness on the career and entrepreneurial opportunities in agriculture.
