The Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office I (DA-RFO I has already initially released hybrid and certified seeds good for 32,719 hectares out of the 192,167 hectares target area of the region this wet cropping season in support to the Rice Resiliency Project (RRP) under DA’s Plant, Plant, Plant Program.

Ms. Analiza Ramos, Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office I Rice Banner Program Focal Person gave the updates during the Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month celebration held at the DA-RFO I 5th Floor Conference Room on May 26, 2020.

Out of the 32, 719 hectares target area for planting in the region, 29,393 hectares are intended for hybrid seeds while 3,326 hectares for certified seeds.

Of the total delivered seeds good for 47,113 has. funded under the RRP, seeds good for 17,735 hectares were already distributed by the region. Seeds sourced out from LGU-assisted projects and private individuals which is good for 14,984 has. were also distributed to farmers.

Under the fertilizer component of the RRP, DA has distributed a total of 1,617 bags of urea fertilizers out of the 58,182 bags delivered. Distribution were initially conducted in the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union while the provinces of Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte has set its distribution schedule on the last week of May.

Meanwhile, on cash assistance to farmers through the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) and the Financial Subsidy for Rice Farmers (FSRF) Programs, a total of 129,647 farmers already claimed their cash assistance with 68,735 number of farmers under RFFA and 60,912 farmers under FSRF.

Region I has submitted a total of 108,172 farmer-beneficiaries out of the 107,122 target for the region under the RFFA and 161,305 out of the 149,449 farmers-beneficiaries targetted under the FSRF, respectively.

The RFFA is the cash assistance provided to farmers tilling .5 has to 2 has and were affected by the implementation of the Rice Tarrification Law. But with the declaration of state of health emergency in the country due to COVID-19, the FSRF was launched to also provide cash assistance to more farmers covering those who till 1 hectare below and are enrolled in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).