Aggie 10 to pilot rice-duck integrated farming in Camiguin

 

As an enabling mechanism for rice farmers to diversify their income sources, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) through its Rice Program held a scaling-up training for Integrated Rice-Duck Farming System (IRDFS) for Camiguin farmers on December 10-13, in Mambajao town.

Some 40 rice farmers and 7 agricultural extension workers who attended the training were apprised of the concept and principles of Palayamanan System of rice farming.

Coined after the words “Palay” and “Kayamanan” the Palayamanan is a rice farming concept wherein rice farmers were encouraged to diversify, intensify, and integrate rice farming with the production of livestock, poultry, fish, and other crops for optimal farm productivity, efficient use of resources while reducing production risks like weather and pests.

As a practical Palayamanan concept, rice-duck integrated farming is advantageous to rice farmers since ducks are biological pest and weed control agents, while their manure fertilizes the soil. With their presence in the rice field, farmers can significantly cut costs on pesticides and fertilizers.

Mr. Mel Rey Mindalano, a rice-duck farming practitioner from Lala, Lanao del Norte imparted his expertise on rice-duck farm management, potential challenges, and control measures. The farmers were also apprised on simple bookkeeping for proper recording of their production and financial data for overall farming efficiency.

Similarly, the rice farmers were capacitated on mushroom production technology as a potential alternative source of income.

[Bahin aning rice-duck farming amu nakita nga makatabang siya kay mominus ang gasto labina na sa abono og ikaduha kaning recording dako kini og ikatabang kanamo mga mag-uuma, labi na aku kay aduna koy gigonitan nga asosasyon]

“We observed that the rice-duck integrated farming is very helpful for us to reduce production cost especially for fertilizer. Second, in terms of recording this is helpful for farmers, for me personally, since I have a hand in leading an association” said Domingo Cabantac, citing the importance of recordkeeping in farm operations.

Cabantac is the president of Provincial Federation of Irrigators’ Association in Camiguin.

The DA-RFO 10 is set to establish a 5-hectare demonstration farm to pilot the rice-duck integrated farming technology in the province come 2025 dry cropping season.3#(ATT Photo Credits: Rice Program)