Anticipating a successful conduct of the 15th National Rice Technology Forum, the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office I (DA-RFO I), Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and the National Rice Board convened to fine tune the planned activities of the forum set on September 12-14, 2022 in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.

The meeting was called for today September 2, 2022 at the Bacarra Civic Center, in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte by the Rice Board headed by Mr. Recher Ondap, National Rice Board President, and DA-RFO I OIC Regional Executive Director Atty. Jennilyn M. Dawayan, which was participated in by the different NRTF working committees, representatives from the Provincial Local Government Unit of Ilocos Norte and Municipal Local Government Unit of Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, among others.

With around 1,000 invited participants from the 14 regions in the country together with the national, regional, provincial and municipal levels, expected to grace the Opening Program is no less than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.

With the expected participation of the President who is also the Agriculture Secretary, several considerations were discussed to ensure a peaceful, safe and successful conduct of the forum.

The NRTF is a yearly activity of the National Rice Program in tandem with the National Rice Board. A total of 28 varieties of hybrid and 2 varieties of inbred rice from the 12 private seed companies and 2 government institutions were showcased in Bacarra to promote the production technologies in rice towards the attainment of the goals and objectives of the Masagana 200 Program.

Prior to the conduct of the meeting, Atty. Dawayan visited the techno-demo sites together with OIC-Field Operations Division, Dr. Marvin Quilates, Integrated Laboratories Division Chief, Dr. Annie Bares, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division OIC-Chief, Mr. Roosevelt Peralta to check on the standing crops in the techno-demo area and likewise met with some of the farmer-cooperators.###