The scars of the COVID 19 pandemic still itch in the memories of the farmer-members of the St. Vincent Parish Multipurpose Cooperative in Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya; yet, these marks only make them stronger and the farming cadence more progressive in rhythm.

As they persevere in the post-pandemic recovery of the rice industry, the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program (MRIDP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) catalyzes the sector’s resurgence.

“MRIDP is unique among our interventions in terms of scale. Farmers adopting modern technologies are organized, and farms are consolidated for increased bargaining power. There’s science to sustain rice production, experts are easily available, and digitalization helps ensure that our farmers are reaching the market,” Director U-Nichols A. Manalo, officer-in-charge of the office of the assistant secretary for operations, said.

Approved by Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in May 2023, the program’s core strategies are encapsulated within the MaSaGaNa acrostic: “MAtatag” (resilient), “SAmasama” (together), “GAnado” (motivated), and “NApapanahon” (timely). These strategies encompass a shift in planting calendars to adapt to climate change; the clustering and consolidation of farms to streamline interventions, the adoption of a value chain approach, and the integration of digital transformation.

Manalo said that the farmers are not only clustered, but public and private institutions are also called to “converge, cooperate, coordinate” to attain the expected potential of rice-farming areas. The DA will be joined by government and private financial institutions, national government agencies, local government units, state universities and colleges, non-government institutions, and civil society organizations in implementing MRIDP.

Currently, with the united efforts of DA agencies, Vincent G. Gonzales, chair of the St. Vincent Parish Coop, said that their farmer-members are recovering from the harshness of the pandemic when they experienced the world’s longest and strictest lockdowns.

“We’re composed of 70- 80% farmers, so our Coop was challenged then. It was harvesting time, and the travel restrictions limited our usual transactions in Bulacan, Pangasinan, and Nueva Ecija. Greedy traders wanted to buy our produce at very low prices,” he lamented.

Three years after the lockdowns, the cooperative supplied for the first time a huge volume of 6,000 bags (25kg/bag) of well-milled rice to a non-government organization, through the assistance of two government programs. They also received machines from the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization and previously from the Department of Agrarian Reform.

“We received certified seeds of our preferred variety, NSIC Rc 218, from the RCEF-Seed Program. We’re happy with what we’ve received as it’s also our market’s choice. This is the product we supplied to the buyer linked to us by PhilRice’s RiceBIS Program,” Gonzales, a 15-year board director and two-time chair said.

The coop capitalized on the machines given to them and became a service provider in their communities from planting to harvesting, which they rent out lower than the commercial providers.

“Usual rent for combine harvester is 10% of the harvest, but we only charge 8-9%. Although our service cost is quite low, our coop’s overall income increased by almost 50% with the machine rentals,” Gonzales revealed.

The impact of convergence on the Coop’s improved status proves Director Manalo’s point that addressing the urgency of revitalizing the rice sector in a post-pandemic era requires not only strong collective action but also a motivated drive from the farmers.

“In MRIDP, we provide technologies based on farmers’ needs and the market. Surveys, databases, and digital applications will be utilized to guarantee these. Meanwhile, farmers must also invest their time and resources. Let’s change farmers’ mindset of only using the technologies because these are doled out. They need to play their part to sustain the gains from the technologies and good marketing,” the National Rice Program director articulated.

“One of the program interventions will be fertilizer support based on soil condition and analysis. We will support 5-ha clusters, beyond this, the farmers will invest. Market information will also be made easily available so we can match volume orders and price with their produce, but with this, farmers may also need minimal investment in transportation,” Manalo added.

With the implementation of MRIDP, President Marcos sets a 97.4% target for rice self-sufficiency by 2028. But with adopting a “whole-of-society” approach stipulated in the Philippine Development Plan for 2023–2028, Manalo is confident that technology adoption will be sustained as farmers are incentivized by connecting them to the market.

The farmers, once burdened by the ghosts of the pandemic, can now find solace in the abundant and marketable harvests they are to gain through the MRIDP. The hum of prosperity resonates through the air, replacing the echoes of uncertainty that once blew in the wind, indeed a rice field renaissance.