The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) is set to distribute 1.8 million bags of certified seeds to more than 740,000 farmers this 2022 wet season planting through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program.
The seeds, which will be rolled out from March 16 to September 15 with the assistance of the local government units (LGUs), are expected to be planted in at least 830,000 hectares of the program’s 42 target provinces.
These include Ifugao, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Zambales, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Albay, Masbate and Sorsogon.
Certified inbred rice seeds will also be distributed in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Biliran, Samar (Western Samar), Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay.
Farmers in Lanao Del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao Del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao are also among the program recipients.
This is DA-PhilRice’s sixth season of implementation, PhilRice RCEF Program Management Office Director Flordeliza Bordey said.
“Through a series of surveys, we found that there were gradual increases in the yield of our target provinces. While this cannot be credited solely to the program, we recognize that the certified seeds greatly contributed. Thus, we strive to keep improving our operations so that the beneficiaries would receive the provision properly and on time, and eventually reap the benefits of using certified seeds. With the challenges that our farmers are facing today, they need all the kind of support they could get,” she said.
Certified inbred rice seeds will also be distributed in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Biliran, Samar (Western Samar), Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay.
Farmers in Lanao Del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao Del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao are also among the program recipients.
This is DA-PhilRice’s sixth season of implementation, PhilRice RCEF Program Management Office Director Flordeliza Bordey said.
“Through a series of surveys, we found that there were gradual increases in the yield of our target provinces. While this cannot be credited solely to the program, we recognize that the certified seeds greatly contributed. Thus, we strive to keep improving our operations so that the beneficiaries would receive the provision properly and on time, and eventually reap the benefits of using certified seeds. With the challenges that our farmers are facing today, they need all the kind of support they could get,” she said.
SOURCE: https://www.manilatimes.net/
