First info rice caravan draws more than 2,000 farmers

26 August 2008
Rita T. dela Cruz

More than 2,000 farmers and agriculture stakeholders attended the Rice Information Caravan conducted by the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit 3 (DA-RFU) in Lubao, Pampanga on 26 August 2008.

The Rice Info Caravan, which is the first of a series slated this year, hopes to increase the farmers' awareness and access to technologies and development programs of the government to increase their productivity in the midst of the increasing input prices. Through this info caravan, DA specifically sought to heighten farmers' awareness on the FIELDS Program for agriculture.

FIELDS (Fertilizer, Irrigation and other rural infrastructure, Extension, training and farmers' education, Loans, Dryers and other postharvest facilities and Seeds) is being implemented by DA through its Rice Self-Sufficiency Program that aims to make the country 98 percent sufficient in the grain in two years' time by targeting higher harvests of 18.55 million mt next year and 19.77 million mt in 2010.

The FIELDS Program of DA is part of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's commitment to improve the country's food production which she first pointed out during her first State of the Nation Address and was further reiterated during the National Food Summit in April 2008.

Dir. Frisco M. Malabanan, coordinator of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) Rice Program, provided an overview of the GMA Rice Program and background of the FIELDS Program for the farmer-participants.

Dir. Malabanan stressed the importance of the info caravan as a venue for DA to relay its specific programs particularly on rice given against the backdrop of the government's food production drive and Secretary Arthur C. Yap urge to boost agricultural productivity and farmers' profitability.

To further increase farmer-participants, six booths were installed at the venue highlighting each of the components of the FIELDS program and two more booths for the National Food Authority and DA-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS).

The Bureau of Agricultural Research, being the national coordinator for agriculture and fisheries R&D and part of the Extension component of the FIELDS Program, participated in the booth exhibit. MISD Asst. Head Julia A. Lapitan, with staff members, Rita T. dela Cruz and Nicanor B. del Rosario III, led in the participation featuring some of the bureau's supported R&D projects on rice.

The next information caravan is slated on 29 August 2008 in Iloilo City and on 2 September 2008 in Masbate