Valencia, Bukidnon---Since November is declared as Rice Awareness Month, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in Northern Mindanao joined the aforementioned national celebration via info caravan which was held recently in Valencia City, Bukidnon with the theme “Quality Rice, Quality Life”.

Valencia was picked as venue for its “City of Golden Harvest” title with rice as one of its priced commodities. Valencia is nicknamed as the City of Golden Harvest because of its vast rice plains along the barangays north and east of Pulangi River. Valencia's clay-rich soil which is highly irrigated and favorable to climatic condition is very conducive for crop production. Rice cropping season is observed twice in a year.

Aside from lectures and forum, the one-day activity was celebrated with fun-filled activities like Q&A portion, raffle draws, and free tasting of rice-based pastry products provided by LS partners. The showcased rice-based pastry products included rice cakes, rice barquillos, rice-infused brownies, rice-infused chiffon cake, arroz valenciana, rice coffee, rice crispies, among others. Rice king Nicasio “Nick” F. Engallado of Engallado Nature Farm and cacao champion Jun Cagampang Jr. of JunLyn Farm even cooked and treated the participants with a delicious and creamy champorado.

In her short message, OIC-Center Director Maria Lydia A. Echavez stressed on the importance of saving and conserving rice as consumers. She also encouraged the farmer participants to value-add their produce and not concentrate on production alone.

As a rice producer himself, Mr. Engallado shared his best practices and value-adding strategies during the forum. Participants of the Rice Awareness Month info caravan ranged from the academe most of which are agriculture students, LGU representatives, and farmers coming from the 31 barangays in Valencia.