LAMBAYONG, Sultan Kudarat -- The ATI Regional Training Center 12 through its Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Program successfully conducted the Refresher Course on Inbred Rice Seed Production and Seed Certification last August 18 to 20, 2020.

The three-day training was held at Lambayong Grain Seed Producer Multipurpose Cooperative in Barangay Didtaras, this Municipality. About 20 seed growers attended the training.

TABUK CITY, KALINGA. The Farmers Field Schools (FFS) on rice production for Kalinga launched on February 2020 under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) was finally concluded on July 2020 with 550 farmer graduates amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The graduates of this dry season FFS are from the municipality of Rizal with 100 graduates from four batches, and Tabuk City with 450 graduates from 18 batches.

The government has to date provided more than PHP 100 billion in assistance to rice farmers estimated at PHP 34 billion, and PHP 72 billion worth of savings for consumers due to lower rice retail prices.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said since August 2019, the Duterte administration has provided rice farmers more than PHP 34 billion worth of assistance to rice farmers aimed at increasing their farm productivity and incomes, broken down as:

CENTRAL VISAYAS – To increase the farmers’ awareness and knowledge on Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) or Rice Fund, the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 7 (ATI-RTC 7) conducted an LGU-led RCEF Information Caravan in the region from July 13 to August 20, 2020.

TACURONG CITY- The ATI-RTC 12 through its RCEF Program joined TESDA 12 in the conduct of Training Induction Program (TIP) as part of the requirements before the take-off of Modified Farmer’s Field School in Region 12.

One of the main components under the Rice Extension Services Program (RESP) is the development and implementation of a scholarship program. Through this, rice farmers will be given scholarship slots for the Modified FFS on Modernized Production of High Quality Inbred Rice and Seed Certification, helping them increase
their income and competitiveness.

RICE farmers’ incomes and yields are rising as a result of programs supported by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), according to a survey conducted by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

PhilRice surveyed more than 4,000 RCEF beneficiaries across 55 provinces who harvested an average of 4.14 metric tons (MT) per hectare.

Respondents reported an additional yield of 440 kilograms per hectare were realized after farmers used certified inbred seed distributed by PhilRice under the RCEF program.