Farmers in Iloilo are reaping the benefits of cutting back on insecticide spraying, reporting significant cost savings and higher rice yields through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program’s (RCEF) Farmer Field School (FFS).
Participants shared that by adopting judicious insecticide use, they reduced production expenses by as much as PhP25,000 per cropping season while gaining up to 45 additional sacks per hectare compared to their usual practices.
The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) has long promoted careful insecticide use through training sessions and the PalayCheck System. However, many farmers continued spraying out of habit, unaware that insecticide use is often optional.
Over four months, more than 50 farmers in the municipalities of Pototan and Dumangas attended the FFS, where they learned that effective pest management does not always require insecticide spraying.
“My rice field is next to the participatory technology demonstration site. They had insects but didn’t use any insecticides. I decided to follow their approach in my one-hectare field, and I harvested 160 sacks—more than I expected,” said Andres Guzman, a farmer and Barangay captain from Pajo, Pototan, Iloilo.
Similarly, farmer Jonel Poli reported an increase from 120 to 165 sacks per hectare after applying the new practices.
Elna Simpas, who manages a half-hectare field, also praised the RCEF PalayCheck FFS for helping her reduce costs while boosting her harvest.
“I used to spend around PhP25,000 per cropping season on insecticides. After following the recommended practices, my expenses decreased and my harvest increased significantly,” she shared.
While reducing insecticide use was a major focus, the FFS also covered other important practices. “The lessons on water management, fertilizer use, and seed selection were just as helpful in improving my crop,” said Abraham Superio, the oldest participant.
The RCEF PalayCheck FFS has also been conducted in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, as part of the Rise Visayas Campaign under the RCEF Extension Services Program, continuing to empower farmers with knowledge that leads to sustainable and profitable rice farming.
