Rice farmers from Brgy. Cawag, Subic, Zambales, have enthusiastically adopted the use of the seed spreader, a machine introduced to them through the PalaySikatan technology demonstration, for direct seeding.
PalaySikatan is a key project of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program, which aims to introduce modern and recommended rice varieties, practices, and technologies to farmers.
Virgilio Sabado, one of the techno-demo cooperators, expressed his satisfaction with the seed spreader’s cost-saving benefits for his half-hectare rice area.
“I used to spend up to PhP10,000/ha during manual transplanting. This time, I only spent PhP1,000/ha when I rented a seed spreader! It also allowed me to reduce the amount of seeds that I cultivated from 160kg/ha to 40kg/ha,” he said.
Sabado is looking forward to using the seed spreader again in the next cropping season.
Another farmer-cooperator, Mario Rosete, also attested to significant savings of approximately P20,000 when he used the machine. He plans to acquire his own seed spreader soon.
Sabado and Rosete are members of the Cawag Farmers Association (CFA), a partner of the Philippine Rice Research Institute in conducting PalaySikatan in the municipality. The cooperators’ positive experience in using the seed spreader have attracted more farmers in the barangay to follow suit and join CFA.
Meanwhile, Subic Agricultural Extensionist Elaida Hazael Calayag said that around 40% of farmers in Cawag have already transitioned from manual transplanting to direct seeding. Introducing the mechanical seed spreader through the techno demo can further accelerate this change, helping farmers cut labor and cost.
The RCEF Seed Program is a component of Republic Act 11203 or Rice Tariffication Law, which allocates P3 billion funds every year to develop, propagate, and promote high-quality inbred rice seeds to help improve the competitiveness of Filipino rice farmers.
