Alcala urges farmers, students to impart agri info

MANILA, Philippines - Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala urges about 1,000 farmers and students to help the country in its bid for rice self-sufficiency by sharing the practices and technologies they learned from the Science and Technology Based Farm (STBF) and Gulayan sa Barangay projects.

During the farmers’ field day and graduation of the STBF farmer-beneficiaries and Gulayan sa Barangay student-participants in Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro recently, Alcala said that the graduates should share the knowledge they gained from their season-long training to their fellow farmers and students to help them augment their yield and income. Celia G. Abadilla, focal person of the STBF on varietal trials, reported that the 4.5 tons/hectare yield of Calintaan and Rizal was increased to 5.6 tons/ha during the last cropping season after its two-year implementation.

Irrigated lowland rice varieties such as NSIC Rc212 (Tubigan 15), Rc160 (Tubigan 14), Rc226 (Tubigan 20), Rc222 (Tubigan 18), and Rc224 (Tubigan 19) were tested for adaptability.

The success of the STBF project has paved way for its expansion in three barangays of Calintaan. Abadilla also said that farmers requested for another field trial showcasing different technological interventions.

The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development implements the STBF Project, under the Techno Gabay Program, which aimed at showing the effectiveness of S&T interventions in improving the productivity and income of the beneficiaries in the locality through the Farmers’ Information and Technology Services Center.

The Department of Agriculture, on the other hand, implements the Gulayan sa Barangay project to provide families and their children nutritious vegetables for home consumption and additional source of income.

The STBF and Gulayan sa Barangay projects are implemented in partnership with PhilRice and the local government unit.

Heads of various agencies and regional field units of the Department of Agriculture, Occidental Mindoro Governor Josephine R. Sato and Vice Governor Mario Gene J. Mendiola, Calintaan Mayor Lily R. Estoya, Rizal Mayor Jesus Valdez, and provincial board members also joined in the field day and graduation.

Hand tractors, hybrid carabaos and goats, 150 cavans of certified seeds, and registered seeds were also given to the farmers and students.