And now palayamanan

This time, it’s palayamanan.

Now becoming a by-word initially among rice farmers in northwestern Luzon, it is officially called Intensive Rice-based Farming Systems Technology Demostration Farms.

And since it was introduced in 2001 by the DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), it has been benefiting a good number of farmers in northern Luzon, particularly in the Ilocos Region.

The technology took its root in Bacnotan, La Union; Sta. Cruz, Sta. Lucia, and Bantay, all in Ilocos Sur; Currimao and Pasuquin, both in Ilocos Norte; and Pidigan, Abra. The following year (2002), it expanded to Apayao and Cagayan.

Palayamanan was set up to showcase recommended rice and rice-based farming systems technologies, to intensify farming systems, and to integrate other farming activities that can increase, farmers’ production and income.

The initial significant accomplishments of the project were recorded in a report titled "Production Efficiencies of Palayamanan Intensive Rice-based Farming Systems in Northwestern Luzon (Wet Season 2001-Dry Season 2004)."

The researchers – NQ Abrogena, AC Aguinaldo LMC dela Cruz, and RC Castro, all of PhilRice – presented their report at the 18th National R&D Conference held last March 15-17 at PhilRice in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

"The production technology interventions introduced in the Palayamanan sites successfully increased yield, which resulted in increased income of the farmer partners (FPs)," they pointed out. "In the wet season 2004, all the Palayamanan sites except that of Pudtol, Apayao outperformed the adjacent farms (AFs) in terms of rice yields."

They further reported that the net income of the FPs was as much as 698 percent higher than that of the AFs.

The FPs in Sta. Cruz attained the highest net benefit (P22,405 per hectare). The highest net benefit in WS 2002 was achieved also by FPs in Sta. Cruz (P30,607).

"Before the establishment of the Palayamanan sites, most of the areas were left fallow during the dry season," the PhilRice researchers said.

For DS 2002, 2003, and 2004, vegetables and other crops were introduced and planted after the main crop rice in La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, and Abra. This provided an added income to the farmers. – RAF