Municipal Agriculturists (MAs) and Local Farm Technicians (LFTs) of MIMAROPA participated in the 6th National Tech Forum in Dipolog City on March 20-22.
The National Rice Tech Forum aims to gather technicians, farmers, hybrid rice producers, stakeholders, and partner agencies to exchange knowledge on the new technology on rice farming particularly on hybrid rice variety.
The event had the theme “Increase Production through Hybrid Rice Technology” and “Zamboanga, mag-hybrid na kita!”.
Its essence is to promote the hybridization program of Secretary Emmanuel Pinol which the Department of Agriculture (DA) believes it could make the country sustain the rice sufficiency level because it is more pest and disease resilient and can produce 15% more yield than the inbred counterpart.
Hybrid seeds companies had an exhibit which the attendees assess their hybrid rice variety. Through this, they will know what the best hybrid rice varieties are.
After visiting the exhibit, the MAs and LFTs headed to the Zamboanga del Norte Cultural and Sports Center in Bgy. Estaka for a program. It started with a ribbon cutting with the members of the Rice Board led by its President Recher Ondap, and DA staff headed by Regional IX Executive Director Constancio Alama.
In the program, there were discussions about the advantages of planting hybrid rice and also about the Department of Agriculture’s Brown for Good program.
A forum was also held between the attendees and the Rice Board, DA, National Food Authority, and hybrid seeds companies.
