TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) program, the Department of Agriculture (DA)-PhilRice provided certified rice seeds to a total of 15,000 rice farmers in this City.
For each hectare of agricultural land, the selected beneficiaries who are registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) received two bags (20 kg each) of certified rice seeds, according to Michelle Lumas-i of the Office for City Agricultural Services (OfCAS).
The provision of farm machinery and equipment under the PhilMech, credit assistance from the Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines, and extension services from the Agricultural Training Institute and Technical Assistance and Skills Development Authority are the other three components of the RCEF under the PhilRice, according to Michelle Lumas-I, of OfCAS.
Approximately 7,000 bags of 20 kilogram pack certified inbred have been distributed since the distribution began in the third week of December 2023, and the OfCAS plans to complete the distribution anytime this month.
In order to get the many services and programs provided by the national government through the DA and the city government, farmers and fisherfolks should be enrolled under the RSBSA, the OfCAS reaffirmed.
The OfCAS led the distribution of certified rice seeds, which is a huge aid to farmers, to lessen their burden from the high cost of agricultural inputs, and profiled the data of local farmers prior to the distribution. They also helped them enroll in the RSBSA. By Darwin S. Serion
