Thousands of farmers in some rain-fed areas in the country are expected to troop to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) here starting Tuesday to participate in the two-day farmers’ field day and forum.
As part of 25th celebration of PhilRice anniversary, the farmers’ field day and forum banners the theme “Rice Science for Development†and serves as venue for farmers to consult experts on rice production.
“This is the first time that we have this big number of farmers from rain-fed areas learning about our technologies. Most of the farmers frequenting our institutional field days are from the irrigated lowland,†Leah R. Abaoag, Technology Management and Services Division head, said.
Abaoag said most of the farmers who will be toured around the institute’s experimental fields and briefed on the PhilRice-generated researches and technologies such as Palayaman, PalayCheck, and nutrient diagnostic tools, are participants of the project’s increasing rice yield and productivity through the promotion of small scale irrigation and integrated management systems in rainfed areas.
Funded by the European Commission and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the project aims to help increase the productivity in rain-fed areas by providing water pumps.
Farmers in Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan and Pampanga have been benefited from this project.
Meanwhile, Edilberto M. de Luna, assistant secretary for field operations and Antonio A. Fleta, undersecretary for administration and finance, both of the Department of Agriculture, will serve as speakers of the two-day event.
Before acting as assistant secretary for field operations, de Luna was former field extentionist, senior agriculturist, provincial manager and regional manager of the Philippine Coconut Authority.
With a bachelor degree in Agriculture and master’s degree in Business Administration at Luzonian University, he is currently a graduate student of Public Policy and Program Administration at the Open University of the University of the Philippines.
On the other hand, Fleta presently holds concurrent positions such as finance director of Mount Carmel Diocesan Hospital in Lucena City; independent director of Rural Bank of Pagbilao, Quezon; and director of Quezon Coconut Producers Bank, and Quezon Imaging Corporation.
He was also the treasurer and consultant of the commercial banking division of the Equitable Savings Bank; undersecretary/executive director of the coordinating council for private sector participation under the Office of the Republic of the Philippines; and president of Far East Savings Bank. (PNA)
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