The key personnel from the regional field offices (RFO) of the Department of Agriculture (DA), implementing agencies, and other partner stakeholders of the DA’s Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) and Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) Programs convene for the assessment of the program’s implementation in FY 2022.
Specifically, the assessment aims to look into the accomplishments of the Programs, the challenges in implementations, and the remedial or strategies employed to overcome such challenges. Results of the assessment will accordingly be used as inputs during the Mid Term Evaluation of the two national programs in the agriculture sector.
In his opening remarks, DA-CAR Regional Technical Director Danilo P. Daguio emphasized that the assessment is very much needed and that whatever decisions or agreements spurring from the weeklong activity will surely be used for the improvement of the agri-programs, particularly the RCEF and RFFA, for the benefit of the rice farmers.
The RCEF and RFFA Programs were established as a result of the Republic Act No. 11203, otherwise known as the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) which was passed into law in 2019. This was principally authored by Senator Cynthia A. Villar who is also currently the Chair of Agriculture and Food Committee.
The RCEF is an inter-agency collaboration which aims to improve the rice farmers’ competitiveness and income amidst the liberalization of the rice trade. It has four components namely seed component, mechanization, credit, and extension component.
Meanwhile, the RFFA Program is direct and secure unconditional P5,000 cash assistance to RSBSA-registered rice farmers tilling and/or owning rice areas of 2 hectares and below. It aims to provide temporary relief to eligible farmers throughout the implementation years of the Rice Tariffication Law.
The activity was formally opened yesterday, January 30, in Eurotel, Baguio City and will be completed on February 3, 2023. This is being hosted by the DA-RFOs in Northern Luzon Cluster which include CAR, Region 1, 2, and 3.
By JBAgrifino and JBPeralta
