The pilot-scale deployment of Malusog Rice Project is in progress in Quirino.
Recently, government entities and farmer cooperatives convened to strategize the production and marketing of Malusog Rice from 40ha of clustered farms in Quirino for the 2024 dry season.
Fidela Bongat, PhilRice’s project supply lead, outlined the roles of stakeholders, including the identification of irrigated areas by National Irrigation Association (NIA) Quirino, seed propagation assistance by Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO) II, and Malusog Rice procurement by LGUs, National Food Authority Region II, Department of Education, Provincial Social Welfare Development Office, Provincial Nutrition Council, and cooperatives to make vitamin A-rich rice accessible to targeted beneficiaries and consumers.
Meanwhile, Provincial rice coordinator Enrique Buenavista pledged the DA-RFO’s support through fertilizer discount vouchers for farmers registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture.
Collaboration is expected with NIA Quirino, PhilRice Isabela, and irrigators’ associations.
Furthermore, the Diffun Saranay and Development Cooperative will assist in market testing activities for the Malusog Rice clustered farms.
