The Department of Agriculture (DA) said 22 batches of rice planters are currently undergoing training on seed production and machine operation to improve their productivity and help them compete against their Southeast Asian counterparts.
The government is training farmers through the Rice Extension Services Program (RESP), a key component of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. Republic Act (RA) 11203 had mandated the set up of the P10-billion RCEF, which consists of tariffs from rice imports.
Since the implementation of the RESP, the DA said 77 batches of rice planters have completed the training. Aside from farmers, the training program also covers regional focals, agricultural extension workers, farmers and farmworker, including members of cooperatives and associations.
Of the P10-billion RCEF, the DA said 10 percent or P1 billion was allotted to skills training in developing new education modules, and other related extension efforts.
The money is being used by implementing agencies that include the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
The DA said 70 percent of the extension funds go to Tesda, while PhilMech, PhilRice, and ATI get 10 percent each to carry out their tasks related to the rice fund program.
Among the topics covered for the training include high-quality inbred rice production, farm mechanization, high-quality rice seed production, seed certification and analysis, rice machinery operation and maintenance, and management of agri-machinery pool.
“We are conducting the training using a top-down approach, meaning we train the specialists first, these are experts who will then train the agricultural extension workers who will later become the ‘trainers’ who will teach the farmers and farmworkers on the ground,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a statement.
Also under RESP, communication campaigns, accreditation of farm schools, and granting of scholarships are being undertaken.
To date, 96,382 copies of information, education and communication materials have been reproduced and distributed including farmer’s guides and references. Technical briefings were also conducted for 154 batches of participant-beneficiaries.
Out of the 43 farm schools targeted for this year, 20 have already been accredited. Tesda is implementing the scholarship program for farmers and farmworkers listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture to enroll in a farmers’ field school which is being conducted by the accredited farm schools. To date, 8,945 scholarships have been granted.
“We see to it that training modules are harmonized to ensure the timely delivery of services intended for the rice farmers under RCEF,” said Dar.
Aside from rice extension service, the other three components of RCEF are rice seed development, propagation and promotion; rice farm machinery equipment; and expanded rice credit assistance.
The training program was rolled out after RA 11203, which removed the quantitative restriction on rice, took effect on March 5. The law also eased the rules on importing rice and limited government intervention in the domestic rice market.