Written by the Web Team
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared 2013 as National Year of Rice through Proclamation No. 494 signed Oct. 18 to intensify the government campaign on achieving rice self-sufficiency.
“Part of the strategy to attain rice self-sufficiency is intensified information campaign and social marketing to enjoin producers, consumers, and policymaker to help achieve this goal,” Aquino said in the Proclamation.
He also said that a sustained and nationwide campaign is needed to boost farmers’ morale and motivate them to adopt technologies to improve farm productivity.
With the theme, Sapat na Bigas, Kaya ng Pinas, the National Year of Rice was also proclaimed to encourage the public to be responsible rice consumers.
Farmers are encouraged to adopt at least three modern farm technologies while consumers are urged to reduce rice wastage.
The Department of Agriculture leads the campaign while Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) handles its implementation.
In his message to PhilRice on its 27th anniversary, Aquino said, “Your solidarity in our ongoing mission will assure the Filipino a more promising future where all our citizens have access to our basic staples… We shall reap our harvest.”
The proclamation also affirmed the celebration of National Rice Awareness Month every November in pursuant to Proclamation No. 524 issued in 2004.
Updates on the National Year of Rice are available at http://www.facebook.com/rice.matters, http://twitter.com/rice_matters, and http://www.facebook.com/riceawareness.
