Aggie-10, PhilRice pin viable rice varieties for distribution in NorMin

 

Lala, Lanao del Norte – To align rice varietal selection with market demand, farmers’ preference, and the country’s rice productivity goals, the Department of Agriculture-Region 10 (DA-10) together with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), spearheaded the Regional Rice Variety Planning Workshop on January 15, here.

The workshop gathered representatives from the Bureau of Plant Industry – National Seed Quality Control Services, rice-producing LGUs from the 5 provinces of Northern Mindanao, rice farmers, traders, seed growers, seed companies and the academe to pinpoint rice variety recommendations for distribution in Northern Mindanao under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program and DA-National Rice Program.

Criteria such as high yielding and good eating quality were major considerations in the variety selection. Adverse variety and alternative variety were included in the selection to cater to the unique needs of rice-producing localities in the region.

The recommended rice seeds varieties for distribution and planting in the region will be lobbied during the nationwide Masagana Rice Industry Development Program (MRIDP) Planning Workshop end of this month for further scrutiny and deliberation.

This effort is seen to strengthen coordination between the RCEF and NRP programs for complementary deployment of inbred and hybrid rice varieties at a more strategic scale.

Such an initiative is part of the government’s effort to bolster the local rice industry with the end goal of attaining food security in the country.# (ATT)