Despite the Covid-19 pandemic hitting the country from early 2020, the Philippines logged record palay (unmilled rice) harvests in 2020 and 2021, or 19.29 MMT or 19.96 MMT, respectively. This enabled the country to maintain adequate rice stocks during the two most trying years of the pandemic, and ensure the country’s food security. The absence of rice nationwide from continue reading : RCEF propels modernization in rice farming
Rice farmers laud digital seed distribution system
ROSARIO, LA UNION – Farmer-beneficiaries of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)-Seed Program are happy with the Binhi e-Padala system, a digitally-aided seed distribution mechanism established for faster and easier seed distribution. In this system, select farmers are informed through a text message about their schedule for receiving seeds, their claim codes, and details about continue reading : Rice farmers laud digital seed distribution system
RTL a ‘Game Changer’
NO other than Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd stated it very clearly: the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), or Republic Act 11203, is a “game changer” that lowered the retail price of rice and funded more programs to modernize the country’s rice industry. “The RTL was finally achieved after more than 30 years of failed attempts continue reading : RTL a ‘Game Changer’
ATI spearheads training of RCEF beneficiaries
A total of 77,052 beneficiaries from 57 provinces benefited from the knowledge gained from training and other capability-enhancement initiatives of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF-RESP) in 2021 spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI). Since the enactment of Republic Act 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law, in continue reading : ATI spearheads training of RCEF beneficiaries
Mechanization of rice farms in high gear
Among the components funded by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), it is mechanization that gets the biggest funding at P5 billion per year. This represented 50 percent of the total P10-billion of funding the RCEF gets every year from 2019 to 2024, based on Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law. And with continue reading : Mechanization of rice farms in high gear
DA-PhilRice steps up distribution of high-yielding seeds under RCEF
The role of the Department of Agriculture–Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) in leveling up the country’s rice subsector can never be discounted, as more and more rice farmers need high-yielding seeds to increase their harvests and lower production costs. And Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law, PhilRice is tasked to develop, source and distribute high-yielding continue reading : DA-PhilRice steps up distribution of high-yielding seeds under RCEF
Management training to revive, strengthen farmers’ organization
Seed growers from Masbate and Leyte are thankful for their recent organizational management and leadership training, as this will help revive and strengthen their associations. Nonoy Dela Cruz, chairperson of Masbate Seed Growers’ Association (MSGA), said that the training, which was conducted by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) under the Rice Competitiveness continue reading : Management training to revive, strengthen farmers’ organization