WET SEASON. Maricris Ite, Department of Agriculture-Calabarzon rice focal person, explains the agency's approach to helping farmers boost productivity during the wet season in this undated photo. The DA has also tapped other government agencies to help rice farmers make the most of this year's rainy season after the country bade goodbye to a severe dry spell. (Photo courtesy of DA-Calabarzon)
LIPA CITY, Batangas – The Department of Agriculture in Calabarzon (DA-4A) will implement a number of interventions to help rice farmers in the region take full advantage of the wet season and maximize their productivity.
In an interview on Friday, DA-4A rice focal person Maricris Ite said hybrid rice seed vouchers, inorganic fertilizer discount vouchers and bio-fertilizer discount vouchers are scheduled for distribution over the next months.
Ite said new guidelines for the implementation of the interventions have already been finalized following a series of consultation meetings with the local government units (LGUs) for the wet cropping season.
Five meetings were held separately this week in five provinces in Calabarzon.
“These kinds of gathering are important to discuss and address the issues that will be faced in the upcoming rainy season,” she said, adding that data from LGUs serve as basis of plans and interventions.
A Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Information System was also put in place for the preparation of damage and losses reports and guidelines for monitoring and reporting on rice pests and diseases, according to Ite.
Each farmer across the region will also receive Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Farmers Financial Assistance worth PHP5,000, she added.
Ite said collaboration efforts are underway with different agencies, including the National Irrigation Administration, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Philippine Center for Post Harvest Development and Mechanization and Philippine Statistics Authority for programs and activities related to rice farming.
Meanwhile, Romeo De Torres, chair of Ibaan Market Vendors and Community Multi-Purpose Cooperative, expressed his gratitude to DA4-A and the LGU for the turnover of facilities to help pig farmers recover from the effects of African swine fever.
He said PHP10,098,766 worth of Bio Secured and Climate Controlled Finisher Operation Facility was granted to their coop and the Padre Garcia Development Cooperative last week under the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion program. (PNA)
The Philippine News Agency is a web-based newswire service of the Philippine government under the supervision of the News and Information Bureau (NIB) of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).