SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ (PIA) -- The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) cited its contribution to the country’s record harvest of 20.06 million metric tons of rice in 2023.

It distributed certified inbred seeds through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program; and trained farmers, farm workers, and extension workers through the RCEF Rice Extension Services Program.

PhilRice Deputy Executive Director for Development Karen Eloisa Barroga said they also identified farmer clusters for sustainable agroenterprise development through the Rice Business Innovations System Program.

The agency also linked farmers to institutional markets such as Kiwanis International, MayaniPH, CM & Sons Food Products, Inc. (Merzci), and Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction Network.

“We have proven that when farmers have access to high-quality rice seeds, information and technologies, their yield can increase even if there is a struggle in the environment,” she pressed during the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting and Lakbay Palay Dry Season 2024 which PhilRice organized in partnership with the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

Meanwhile, PCO Director Julius Leonen said the activity is not just a simple gathering but an opportunity to share knowledge and plans for the future of the agriculture sector.

"In the [2023-2028] Philippine Development Plan, which contains our goals for a Bagong Pilipinas, we seek to have an adequate supply of food and proper nutrition for every Filipino family. This will be possible through the joint efforts of the government, private sector, and other partners of our public servants," Leonen emphasized.  

About 1,000 farmers and students from Central Luzon and neighboring regions participated in the two-day event held at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

It featured innovative methods and technologies in farming. (CLJD/CCN-PIA 3)