DA CARAGA Conducts Rice Consultative Meeting

CARAGA – The Department of Agriculture, through the Rice Program, organized a consultative meeting with the rice industry stakeholders today, January 20, 2023, at the DA CARAGA Conference Hall.

Regional Executive Director Engr. Ricardo M. Oñate, Jr., together with OIC Regional Technical Director for Operations Rebecca R. Atega, lead the dialogue with the region’s partners: seed growers, local government units, and DA attached agencies and bureaus (Bureau of Plant Industry, National Food Authority, National Irrigation Administration, Agricultural Training Institute, PhilRice, and PhilMech).

The consultative meeting discussed issues in the rice sector, such as the optimization of farm machinery, strengthening the Farmers’ Cooperative and Association through farm clustering and consolidation, sustainable operation of the Rice Processing Centers, and developing multiple-income opportunities for rice stakeholders.

For this year, the DA CARAGA Rice Program has an allocation of ₱260.85 million of agriculture interventions to rice farmers for CY 2023. Production support services (₱178.95 million); extension support, education, and training services (₱54.48 million); research and development (₱6.71 million); agricultural machinery, equipment, and facilities support services (₱6.94 million); and irrigation network services (₱13.75 million) receive a portion of the budget.

All programs and projects for the rice sector are being lined up to ensure a stable supply of safe and nutritious rice and increase farm household income in accordance with the directives of President Marcos to achieve its goal of being a rice-secured nation.