With rice wastage and an aging farm workforce raising concerns about food security, a summer leadership camp conducted on May 26, 2026, in Nueva Ecija introduced children to the value of rice, farming, and food responsibility.
Data from the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute show that Filipinos waste around 542,477.6 mt of milled rice each year, enough to feed about 5.17 million. Meanwhile, the average age of Filipino farmers is now 55 to 57 years old, needing the younger generation’s appreciation for agriculture.
About 20 children aged 10-12 completed the Be RICEponsible Summer Leadership Camp at the RICEsParK of the Future Rice Farm, where they learned about leadership, agriculture, and responsible rice consumption.
RICEsParK, a compact educational campsite developed in partnership with Kiwanis International-Philippine Luzon District and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), aims to nurture future agricultural leaders through interactive learning experiences. The camp offers children an engaging alternative to spending time in malls or on gadgets by introducing them to rice science and farming.
Through the obstacle course, rice science sessions, farm machinery demonstrations, and rice art-making activities, the camp taught children the A-B-C of being RICEPonsible: avoid rice wastage, buy our farmers’ rice, and choose healthier rice.
Laarnie L. Mandia, PhilRice’s Community Relations Office head, said that the activities were designed to develop young leaders who understand farmers’ struggles, value rice as more than a daily staple, and carry the skills and values needed to help shape the country’s rice sector.
For 11-year-old camper Jaked Lourd B. Dimatera, the experience gave him a new view of rice and the effort behind every grain served on the table.
“We all learned that rice was not supposed to be wasted. In this simple action, we can show how we value the effort of our rice farmers,” he said.
Taking the Be RICEponsible pledge, the children were recognized as certified RICEponsible citizens.
