KALILANGAN, BUKIDNON – The Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao is pushing for increased rice production and sufficiency through cluster hybrid rice techno demo in Kalilangan, Bukidnon.

“With this activity, the farmers will have the options to use hybrid rice varieties that will suit their areas. They will also learn new technologies to adopt, based on the practices of the different seed companies,” said DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado during the official launching of the activity on Monday, December 13.

The different hybrid rice varieties will be showcased in a consolidated 8.6 hectares of the Gamay-gamay Communal Irrigators Association (GCIA) in barangay Pamotolon of the said town.

Aside from the use of high-yielding varieties, Dir. Collado added that the cluster rice farm will demonstrate irrigation technology, use of machinery, and pest/disease and nutrient management.

Dir. Collado bared that the agency will allocate around 45-50 thousand bags of hybrid rice seeds for Bukidnon in 2022 to bolster local rice production.

It is also a quick response measure that addresses food security amidst the pandemic, focuses to intensify campaign for the adoption of hybrid rice technology among local farmers.

He also urged the LGU to facilitate and organize other small rice farmers to avail DA-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PhilMech) farm machinery under the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

Meanwhile, Kalilangan Municipal Agriculturist, Teresita F. Buhi-an said that the techno demo will motivate the farmers to plant the hybrid rice varieties adopting the recent technologies.

Eleven participating seed companies include SL Agritech, Corp., Seed Works, RAMGO International, Corp., LongPing, Leads Agri, Green and Grow, Inc., Davao Oriental Seed Producers Cooperative, Corteva Agriscience, Bioseed, Bayer, and AmTrac.

The activity was in partnership with the LGU Kalilangan through Mayor Omaradji C. Pizarro, Municipal Agriculture Office and the farmer associations.# (EMBentulan)