In line with the Masagana Rice Industry’s direction of a modernized and consolidated farming to attain higher productivity and income, the DA in Ilocos spearheaded the launching of the Regional Rice Technology Forum (RRTF) today, August 9, 2024 at Brgy. Tangcarang, Alaminos City, Pangasinan.
Gathering around 700 Pangasinan farmers from Alaminos City and nearby municipalities including all other stakeholders in the rice industry like government and private institutions, the techno forum provided an avenue to showcase various climate-resilient production technologies in rice and promote the impact of corporate farming approach for better yield and income.
Covering 215 hectares of rice production area from five barangays in Alaminos City, the techno-forum showcased to farmers various hybrid rice seed varieties, fertilizer and soil nutrient, along with the latest technologies in rice production so farmers would be able to select suitable technologies that they may use and adopt in their own farms.
In partnership with 14 rice seed companies, 16 bio-fertilizer and soil and plant nutrient enhancer companies including the government-owned Philippine Rice Research Institute, a total of 33 hybrid rice seed varieties were planted at one hectare each for every seed variety in the techno-demo farm showcasing manual and mechanized transplanting.
The demo showed 20×20 cm distance of planting (manual transplanting) and 30×12 cm (mechanized transplanting using the walk-behind transplanter) and the reduction of DA’s recommended rate of fertilizer use from 114-38-58 by 50% in an area of 5,000 sq.m each for the participating companies.
In addition to these featured technologies, the techno-forum also showcased the 10 hectare modified dry direct planting using drone in crop establishment and nutrient management.
Director for Rice Clustering and Consolidation under the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program (MRIDP), Dr. Emerson Yago in his message lauded the support of the various stakeholders as the techno forum embarked on showcasing clustering and consolidation approach in farming so that farmers maybe able to maximize their production and income.
Keeping the participants informed on the 4 pillars of the MRIDP which stands for MA-SA-GA-NA, Director Yago encouraged the participants to continue supporting DA programs and called on everyone to never give up amidst challenges for there are opportunities to collaborate with the government and establish linkages to be able to realize their goal for higher productivity and income.
“Pagbutihin ang pagsasaka, wag mag give up..yayaman din tau. Kung may challenges man tau, makipag ugnayan sa mga kinauukulan.. Dapat may solid na pamunuan para siya ang mag-push sa inyong kapakanan. Pag igihan lang natin. Mag usap po tayo,” Director Yago said.
Meanwhile, part of the launching activity is the conduct of the Bio-fertilizer summit where the bio-fertilizer and soil and plant enhancer companies are given the opportunity to discuss with the farmers the proper application and management of their products.
Also joining the techno-forum launching is OIC-RTD for Research and Regulations, Dr. Florentino Adame who represented DA-RFO I OIC-RED John Pascual, Dr. Ramon Castro, Provincial Government Consultant for Agriculture representing Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III, Provincial Agriculturists of Pangasinan, Ms. Dalisay Moya, Alaminos City Vice-Mayor Marione Fontelera representing Mayor Art Bryan Celeste and Mr. Recher Ondap, Vice-Chair of the Rice Board and Field Operations Division Chief of DA-RFO I, Ms. Analiza Ramos.##
