BAGUIO CITY – In celebration of National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM) and 10th Organic Agriculture (OA) Month, the Department of Agriculture Cordillera (DA-CAR) kicked off the annual celebration in a “Family Feud” game show on November 4, 2024 in Guisad, Baguio City.
Dubbed “Agri Feud,” the survey-based game show featured participation from DA-attached bureaus and agencies, including the Bureau of Plant Industry Baguio National Crop Research, Development, and Production Support Center (BPI), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)–CAR, and the Agricultural Training Institute–Regional Training Center (ATI) CAR. Participants competed by guessing the top answers to questions on rice and organic agriculture, with ATI-CAR ultimately clinching the championship.
The questions cover topics such as common farm inputs in rice and organic production, farming practices, various rice and organic crop varieties, and trivia on subjects like past DA secretaries and the average rice consumption of Filipinos.
During the Flag Raising Ceremony, DA-CAR Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section Chief Aida Y. Pagtan explained the NRAM’s recurring theme “BeRICEponsible,” along with its subtheme, ABKD: Adlay, mais ay ihalo sa kanin; Brown rice ay kainin; Kanin ay huwag sayangin; Dapat bigas ng Pilipinas ang bilhin. This theme aims to raise public awareness about rice sufficiency, reduce rice wastage, support rice self-sufficiency, and promote healthier dietary choices, as Filipinos have an increasingly unhealthy consumption of rice.
According to 2018 data from the Philippine Rice Research Institute, two tablespoons of cooked rice are wasted per person each year, amounting to ₱7.2 billion worth of rice annually. This wasted rice could have fed at least 2.5 million people every year.
Meanwhile, the OA Month celebration is also being observed, aiming to intensify the promotion and advocacy of OA among consumers, gearing towards food safety.
OA Program Focal Person Precil Sales proudly announced that the Cordillera region leads the country with the highest number of Participatory Guarantee System-certified organic farms and PGS-accredited certifying bodies. This achievement highlights the region’s steadfast commitment to promoting safe, high-quality produce for all consumers.
The NRAM and OA Month celebrations are pursuant to Presidential Proclamations No. 524, series of 2004, and No. 1030 series of 2015, respectively. By Cy-j E. Waytan
