Following the steady upward trend in the production of one of the country’s champion grains, the government—thru the Department of Agriculture—recognized the contribution of provincial and municipal/city governments in the attainment of food sufficiency.
Alongside the local governments, different Irrigators’/Small Water Impounding System Associations (IAs and SWISAs), Agricultural Extension Workers and Local Farmer Technicians were acknowledged for their outstanding delivery of service to the Philippine agriculture.
The DA, thru the Agri-Pinoy Rice Program, awarded over P55 million (M) in prizes to 5 provinces, 16 municipalities and cities, five IAs, three SWISAs, 398 agricultural extension workers (AEWs), and 83 local farmer technicians (LFTs) during the most awaited Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers Awards held on April 20, 2016 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila, Pasay City.
The top provinces awarded were Ilocos Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, Occidental Mindoro, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental. Each received a trophy and check worth P4M to be used for rice-related projects. The awards were personally handed over by Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala.
La Union, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Leyte, Bukidnon and Lanao Del Norte provincial governments each received a trophy and check worth P500,000 for being included in the shortlist of outstanding provinces and also for their hard work and efforts in improving local rice production.
Top municipalities and cities, as well as exceptional IAs received P1M worth of project grants each. Outstanding SWISAs each got P500,000 in project grants, while selected AEWs and LFTs took home a cash incentive of P20,000 each.
“Despite the prevailing effects of the El Niño phenomenon and the onslaught of typhoons Lando and Nona, that hit the country, the Philippine rice industry still managed to produce 18.15 million metric tons (MT) yield in 2015,” Assistant Secretary for Field Operations Edilberto de Luna said.
“We are able to improve production and steadily increase farm income because of the diligence and passion of our farmers and partners in the local government,” he said.
“If not for them, the harvest may be of low quality with lower yields,” de Luna ended.
MOVING FORWARD
Nueva Ecija, a “Hall of Famer” province for having won the Award three times already, used their cash prize to further expand production. Aside from institutionalizing a farmers’ loan system, some of the cash prize was invested in the hybrid rice production program of the province, including research and development initiatives for improved production.
“Ang pagkilala na aming natanggap mula APRAA ay nag-udyok sa lokal na pamahalaan na lalong magsumikap upang mapanatili ang aming produksyon,” Nueva Ecija Provincial Agriculturist Serafin Santos said.
“Nagbigay din ito ng inspirasyon sa mga Local Government Units (LGUs) at ngayon ay mas supportive na sila pagdating sa mga proyektong pang agrikultura dahil nakita din nila na walang talo sa pamumuhunan sa agrikultura,” he added.
The Nueva Ecija provincial government also used the fund to maintain the implements that they have acquired in 2013.
“We are also planning to acquire and set-up a mobile soil laboratory so we can bring our services closer to the people and help them determine the best planting locations,” he ended.
Other “Hall of Famer” provinces in the APRAA include Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Bulacan, Occidental Mindoro, and Davao del Sur.
The 2015 APRAA awardees were selected based on their incremental increases in rice harvest and average yield per hectare over 2015 levels amount of budget devoted to rice projects and initiatives, number of farmers benefited, and degree of quality seed utilization, among others. # (AFID)/www.da.gov.ph
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