COGON, Cagayan de Oro City---Since its inception as a web-based tool meant to provide farming advisory to the rice farmers across the country, the Rice Crop Manager (RCM) Advisory Service is a repository of essential data gathered and consolidated from rice farming experts. The necessary data is integrated with complementary decision-making tools and services to come up with one integrated advisory and information service for rice-based farmers in the Philippines.

In line with its mission to deliver appropriate extension interventions, the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center X (ATI-RTC X) through the Career Development Management Services (CDMS) mounted the “Training on Use and Operation of Rice Crop Manager (RCM) Advisory Service”.

The core of the RCM Advisory Service is Rice Crop Manager, which provides farmers with a personalized crop and nutrient management recommendation for rice fields through a one-page printout and text messages to the phone of the farmer. The RCM Advisory Service combines Rice Crop Manager with additional tools and services aiming to reduce production cost, increase yields, increase net income, and facilitate a professional extension service deploying appropriate information at the right time to farmers through information and communications technology (ICT). These additional tools and services include:

• Field registration to facilitate determination by Global Positioning System (GPS) of the area of each field and then to help adjust inputs such as fertilizer to match the exact field area,
• Farmer registration to facilitate the issuance of an RCM farmer ID card providing access to historical information on the fields and farming practices of the farmer,
• Farmer registration to receive text messages with reminders for recommended farming practices and additional information from the Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA),
• Selection of a rice variety matching recommendations by DA and the traits of a variety preferred by a farmer, and
• Monitoring of RCM farmers after harvest to determine a farmer’s actual practices in the cropping season and the farmer’s uptake of the RCM recommendation.

The RCM Advisory Service enables the use of historical rice production information from farmers and fields to improve rice farming in the country.
Primarily, with the help of the Local Government Units through the City/Municipal Agriculture Office, the program can serve rice farmers in Northern Mindanao.
As for field work, the participants were able to do a hands-on demo on how to use the RCM in Villaneva, Misamis Oriental where data gathering and interviewing of rice farmers transpired.
The participants came up with an RCM recommendation of a registered farmer, a farmer ID, an accurate area measurement using GPS device. They also prepared a re-entry plan.

The five-day training participated by 27 participants were composed of Agricultural Extension Workers and one Local Farmer Technician. The training was organized and facilitated by Rice Focal Person Jhoylie Mae C. Rosales in coordination with members of the RCM Regional Team, Ms. Marylie Monteroyo (ATI) and Karl Roman Wong (DA-RFO 10). It was held at the De Luxe Hotel in Cogon, Cagayan de Oro City on August 27-31, 2018. (with reports from Jhoylie Mae C. Rosales, Development Management Officer II)