The final leg of this year’s dry season Provincial Rice Technology Forum (PRTF) concluded with a field day in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, on Friday, with some 300 farmers in attendance.
“Nakita ko po ang gaganda nung mga standing crops. Alam ko na magiging maganda po ang inyong ani ngayong dry season,” Ms. Lea Coloma, Regional Rice Banner Program focal person, stated to the farmers during the event. (I observed the excellent condition of the standing crops. I know you will have a bountiful harvest this dry season.)
The field day offered Ilocos Norte farmers an avenue to asses hybrid rice varieties which best suit their farming conditions.
“Daytoy provincial rice technology forum ket napintas launay ta makita mi dagijay seeds nga napipintas,” Mr. Danilo Culammeng, a farmer from Brgy. Nagbalagan, Bangui, said. (This Provincial Rice Technology Forum is truly admirable as it allowed us to see high-quality seeds firsthand.)
The farmers evaluated 27 rice varieties based on crop stand, panicle formation, and reaction to pests.
“Napintas daytoy a program ta dakkel maitulong na kadakami nga agtaltalon. Imbis nga dagijay igatang abono agapo kadakami, ket ipaay dagijay nagidemo,” shared Ms. Janette Tomas, one of the farmer cooperators. “Kasta met ti maispray. Ited da amin nga pagsirbian ti talon mi.”
(This program is greatly helpful to us farmers. Instead of us having to purchase fertilizers, the farm demonstrators provided them. They even supplied all the necessary spraying [chemicals] for our farms.)
Through the PRTF, participating farmer cooperators received all their required farm inputs, including weekly supervision from the private companies.
“Agyaman kami dagiti nagdemo kadaguitoy a programa ta inted da amin nga bukbukel nga naimula. Insuro da nu kasanu panagmula ti pagay kasta met ti panagbunubon,” Ms. Tomas added. (We are grateful to the program demonstrators for providing all the seeds for planting and for teaching us, from planting to sowing.)
Earlier this year, the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 1 (DA-RFO1) held similar PRTF field days in Alaminos and Pozzorubio in Pangasinan, Bauang in La Union, and Bantay in Ilocos Sur.
The PRTF is a yearly event of DA implemented through its Rice Banner Program in partnership with the private sector. The program aims to help farmers earn better income and achieve higher yields by promoting the adoption of hybrid rice technologies.
“Nalalaingen ti farmers ngem we encourage pay nga ma-adopt da dagiti baro nga teknolohiya tapnu mas puminpintas pay ti apit da,” Mr. Jhon Dhryll Laforteza, a marketing development representative from one of the private companies, commented. (While the farmers are already skilled, I encourage them to adopt new technologies to further improve their harvest.)
Mr. Laforteza also expressed his anticipation for the continued promotion of hybrid rice technologies in other sites.
“Daytoy nga programa, dakkel ti maitulong na ta naduma-duma nga ili ti nakakita ken nakapaneknek nga ti hybrid ket maysa nga makatulong iti farmer nga mapangato ti apit da,” he said. “Agpromote tayo pay wennu ipakita tayo pay ti napinpintas nga site,” he added, hoping for greater farmer cooperation and willingness for the adoption of the shared technologies.
(This program proved its impact, as it has been evident across different towns where it has demonstrated that the hybrid rice can increase farmers’ yield. Let’s promote or show other better sites.)