Samar hosts 5th National Rice Technology Forum; Hybrid rice eyed in more farms
BASEY, Samar — The Department of Agriculture Eastern Visayas regional office 8 (DA RFO-8) in collaboration with partners staged and hosted the 5th National Rice Technology Forum here recently, where hybrid rice was presented as a key to increasing the yield and productivity of rice farmers.
DA RFO-8’s OIC Regional Executive Director, U-Nichols A. Manalo said that DA RFO 8, the Rice Productivity Advocacy Board, the local government unit of Samar, the hybrid rice producers in the country, farmers, stakeholders and other partner agencies, jointly sponsored the 3-day forum from September 20 to 22.
Going hybrid The event adopted the theme “Increased Production Through Hybrid Rice Technology” and “Sinirangan Bisayas Mag-hybrid na Kita.” (Eastern Visayas let us go hybrid now.)
Manalo said the over 3,000 farmers from across thye country joined the event.
It was also attended by the rice scientists and researchers including rice technicians from the Department of Agriculture and from the different local government units in the country, government employees, private organizations and representatives from the business sector, the media and various rice industry stakeholders.
The country’s leading hybrid seed producers showcased their products in a 12.6-hectares rice farm located in Sitio Manilaay, Barangay Old San Agustin, this town.
Low Samar yield Last year, Manalo said Samar produced 149,307 metric tons of rice from 54,216 hectares of ricefields, accounting for 15.6 percent of the region’s total output of 954,844 metric tons.
“Its yield level was seen as the lowest level among the provinces in region at 2.75 metric tons per hectare,” he said.
Manalo explained that farmers need to be more competitive to cater to the ever-increasing demand for rice.
“As we all knew, increasing rice output is central to being competitive. And this is precisely where hybrid rice technology could help. Thus we are excited and optimistic about the future of hybrid rice in the region,” Manalo said.
Reaching out to farmers
The 12 participating seed producers provided the farmer cooperators with the seeds and input requirements, labor cost and rental fees for certain machineries and equipment used as well as technical assistance following the package of technology recommended for a particular hybrid rice variety, while the National Irrigation Administration supplied the needed irrigation water.
The forum effectively introduced to farmers the benefits and advantages of growing hybrid rice, including increased yield.