To help the farming communities achieve increased productivity and income, the Agricultural Training Institute- Regional Training Center 1 (ATI-RTC 1) has strengthened the adoption of Rice-Based Integrated Farming System (RBIFS) in rice farming areas in Region 1. RBIFS is production system that promotes diversification, intensification and integration of different commodities in rice farm enterprises. Rice as the main component and can be integrated with vegetables, livestock, fisheries, vermicomposting, mushroom, and other farm activities that involve value adding and marketing.
In early 2021, ATI-RTC 1 launched the PAlayTIMPALAK: The Search for Top Performing RBIFS Farm in Region 1 to reinforce the adoption and implementation of the said farming system in rainfed and irrigated areas in the region. PAlayTIMPALAK is a wordplay on Palay (paddy rice) and Timpalak (tagalog for contest), which in essence means contest or competition on rice growing. This competition, categorized in rainfed and irrigated, was joined by 13 farmer cooperatives or associations (FCAs) and irrigators associations (IAs) under each of the category.
To set a common ground among the competing FCAs and IAs, they were given technical briefings and community-based trainings to train them on the establishment and management of RBIFS farm, and to apprise them on the requirements, timelines, and evaluation criteria for the competition. Planting materials and farm inputs were provided to each of the competing association for the establishment of RBIFS farm. This was purposely to provide them an actual experience of RBIFS and realize its economic potentials.
Photos of various enterprises taken at different Rice-based Integrated Farms in Region 1.
The monitoring and Evaluation team composed of representatives from ATI-RTC 1; Office of the Provincial Agriculturists (OPAg) of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan; and selected Private Extension Service Providers (PESPs) regularly visited and monitored the established RBIFS farm as well as the competing FCAs and IAs if they are complying with the guidelines. Monitoring results were consolidated by the team and turned over to the Technical Working Group (TWG) for final evaluation and validation of results. TWG was composed of the Assistant Center Director, and the Section Chiefs of the Career Development and Management Services Section (CDMSS), Partnership and Accreditation Services Section (PASS) and the Information Services Section (ISS) of RTC 1 and representative from Administrative and Finance Services Unit (AFSU). The competing FCAs and IAs were assisted by the Local Government Units (LGUs) through the assigned Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) in the barangays where the associations were located.
Further, the evaluation criteria for the top performing RBIFS farm include: 1) New farming technologies used; 2) Integration of other enterprises; 3) Computed yield and income for rice and vegetable; 4) Sustainability plan; 5) Documentation; and 6) LGU support. The new farming technologies are the recommended farming practices for rice and vegetable that are applied by the competing FCAs/IAs in seed and varietal selection, land preparation, crop establishment, nutrient management, water management, pest management, harvest and post-harvest management. Other enterprises include poultry and livestock, vermicomposting, mushroom production, etc. Documentation on the other hand, focused on FCAs/IAs record keeping, submitted progress report and photos taken from each of their farm activities.
The competition was culminated through a Field Day and Awarding Ceremony on December 2, 2021 at the top performing RBIFS farm to showcase their technologies and practices that can be emulated by the non-winning FCAs/IAs and the other stakeholders. The top performing RBIFS farms received cash prizes and also qualified as applicants for Learning Site for Practical Agriculture (LSA) in 2022.
The PAlayTIMPALAK is an initiative of ATI-RTC 1 through its Rice Point Person, Ms. Jeimelie C. Constantino and support staff, Ms. Jacquelyn R. Rafanan.
With the favorable outcome of this initiative, ATI-RTC 1 hopes to sustain the PAlayTIMPALAK as a holistic extension approach towards one of the DA’s goal which is to reinforce the diversification and integration of different commodities in rice farming enterprises, and towards the increased productivity and income of the farming communities in Region 1.
