The Department of Agriculture 12 staged the 1st Soccsksargen Rice Program Stakeholders Congress 2018 on August 8-9, 2018 themed “Sama-sama Nating Pagyamanin ang Produksyon ng Palayan para sa Maunlad na Kabuhayan”.
More than one thousand rice farmers and farm service providers from South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani convened for the two-day activity.
The said congress is a part of the regional strategy in line with the national agenda of attaining rice sufficiency in the country. It also aims to increase rice
DA-12 Regional Executive Director Milagros Casis praised the rice stakeholders for their contributions in making SOCCSKSARGEN the 6th top rice producing region in the Philippines and number 1 in the island of Mindanao.
“We expect that the previous year’s record will be surpassed with the approval of the free irrigation law, use of intensified variety of seeds and provision of farm machineries,” Casis said.
During the congress, government agencies including the Philippine Rice Research Institute, National Irrigation Administration, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation and the National Food Authority presented their respective programs that the farmers can avail including financing and marketing support.
Rice stakeholders who gave unwavering contribution in rice production last year were also awarded during the event. Thirty one were hailed Outstanding Agricultural Extension Workers from ten local government units in Region 12. Ten other local farmer technicians were honored.
This year, the Municipality of Tulunan in Cotabato bagged the Outstanding Municipality Award in Rice Production, while the BNBL Irrigators’ Association (IA) was proclaimed the 2017 Outstanding Irrigators’ Association. ### (Justin Aquino-RAFIS DA 12)
