Manila, The Philippines
May 25, 2009Close to 100
rice sufficiency officers (RSOs) and PhilRice officials
nationwide gathered for the re-tooling workshop as part of DA-PhilRice’
Strategic Support Services for Rice Self-Sufficiency (S5), May
13-16.
S5 is DA-PhilRice’ program in support of the government’s Rice
Self-Sufficiency Plan (RSSP).
The Rice Self-Sufficiency Plan envisions a 100% self-sufficiency
in rice by 2013. It aims to increase palay production from 16.2
million metric tons (MMT) in 2007 to 21.6 MMT in 2013 to ensure
the availability of rice for 100 million Filipinos. Moreover, it
aims to raise income from rice farming and reduce the
Philippines’ rice importation.
“The Ginintuang Masaganang Ani
(GMA) rice program has increased rice production in some
provinces to more than 4 t/ha but there is still more than 1
million ha that need to be transformed into more productive and
profitable rice farms,” said Ruben Miranda, Deputy Director for
Development.
“In this regard, S5 was developed to identify yield constraints
and develop high-yielding location-specific technologies to
achieve rice self-sufficiency” Miranda said.
To intensify strategic support services for rice
self-sufficiency program, PhilRice has developed three program
components. They are location-specific technology development
(LSTD), capacity building, and rice information and
communication.
“LSTD was created since agro-climatic conditions vary widely
from place to place resulting in great variability in rice
fields or yields,” Miranda said. He added that a localized and
partnership-driven on farm rice technology development will work
together in analyzing field problems and in the planning and
implementation of on-farm trials.
RSOs will serve as key personnel in their respective provincial
assignments.
The
capacity-building component targets to train 245 rice production
specialists in 2009 and 2010 who will eventually train local
extension workers and farmers on rice production and lead the
development and implementation of location-specific technology
development and Palayamanan practices.
Since 2008, DA-PhilRice has trained 116 rice specialists on the
PalayCheck system, a package of rice technologies and
practices for improved yield, and on Palayamanan, a
diversified rice cropping system.
Social mobilization for rice self-sufficiency, protocol on the
implementation of location specific technology demonstration
(LSTD), site characterization, participatory approaches and
tools, process documentation, tools in analyzing on-farm data,
and RSOs’ duties and responsibilities were among the topics
discussed.
To widen the scope of the program, DA-PhilRice will develop
intensive rice information and communication services to ensure
easy and timely access of extension workers and farmers to the
latest information on rice production using print, radio, TV,
and information and communication technology. |
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