Albay: The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) will provide technical assistance and training to farmers in salt-affected or coastal areas of Albay province to enhance their rice production.
According to Philippines News Agency, the move is stipulated in a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the "Scaling Integrated Crop Management (ICM) for Salt-Affected Rice Environments" program, signed Tuesday between the DA, the provincial government of Albay, and the local government unit (LGU) of Malinao.
In an interview conducted by the Albay Provincial Information Office on Thursday, Dr. Victoria Lapitan, director of the DA-PhilRice Bicol, said the program aims to promote resilient farming practices that will increase farmers' income and ensure a stable food supply for the province. Lapitan assured farmers that they would not be left behind, highlighting the success of similar initiatives in other communities facing the same challenges such as mismatch of soil and seed varieties.
"The seeds we are distributing are intended for you and other Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) projects to cultivate rice. I believe that, alongside our partners, we are selecting the right varieties to achieve our goals together," she said.
Lapitan mentioned that DA-PhilRice will lead the program by providing technical expertise, training, and coordination for farmers and agricultural staff. The provincial government will contribute secondary data on rice production, offer policy and financial support for Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and seed production, and assist in sourcing additional funding.
As part of the MOA, 13 farmers are participating in a PalayCheck System training for salt-affected rice environments from May 28 to 30. PalayCheck is a rice crop management system that promotes the analysis and sharing of best farming practices in salt-affected areas.
The training included discussions on current farming practices and endorsed innovative planting technologies aimed at continuously improving yields, profits, and promoting environmental safety. This program is designed to further educate farmers on innovative planting methods using the new PalayCheck technology.
