PBBM commits to improving farmers’ lives

At the 35th National Rice R4D (research for development) conference held at the Philippine Rice Research Institute in Nueva Ecija, newly-appointed Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel Jr. said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed his shared commitment to advance the rice communities and improve the lives of those in rice-growing communities.

Saying his speech at the Ugnay Palay National Rice R4D conference is his 7th public speech since being appointed in November, Laurel echoed the President's confidence that all government agencies, partners, and stakeholders will continue to enhance existing agricultural technologies in line with "our goal of a food-secure nation."

The President enjoined all the delegates to ensure that all benefits of the initiatives would reach the Filipino farmers. "As we do this, let us be guided by science-based data presented in the strategic plan 2023 to 2028 of PhilRice, which highlights the need to educate farmers on modern technologies suitable for integration into their everyday work."

The Chief Executive assured that the government will continue to give primacy to research and development to ensure a sustainable rice value chain and support the initiatives of PhilRice on biotechnology to improve rice production. He also assured that equal support and importance would be given to livestock, fishery, poultry, and high-value crops to maintain the accessibility, affordability, and availability of food for consumers.

Laurel expressed his personal hope that all sectors would continue to work together to advance the rice industry and that he would not just continue the projects that the President began in his entire term but would also ease the plight of the farmers and fisherfolk.

He said the DA is moving with urgency to improve infrastructure and mechanization, irrigation, and drying facilities to increase efficiency in rice production. "Ultimately our aim is to minimize importation as soon as possible for the country's food security and to improve farmers' incomes.. We don't have time."

"We hope to attract a new generation of farmers, researchers, and innovators who will ensure the country's food security in years to come. Together let us pursue a shared dream of a prosperous and food-secure Pilipinas," Laurel said.

PhilRice Executive Director John de Leon, in his welcome remarks, reported to Laurel about the rice business innovation system (RiceBIS) communities that PhilRice links with the private sector partners like BPI Foundation and Kiwanis International that help rice farmers by buying the contracted volumes from farmers at better than market rates to be used for their corporate philanthropic activities.

PhilRice now has 23 RiceBIS communities and this year the agency leveled it up to RiceBIS 2.0 by connecting communities with the markets. In addition, PhilRice receives P3 billion from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to fund its numerous research and development programs, which eventually should be scaled to the farmers, and another P600 million for training and extension along with Agricultural Training Institute and the PhilMech.

PhilRice has thus evolved from a purely R&D institution to an operational agency that executes operations properly and well with full transparency by digitalizing the process and involving all the partners in embracing digitalization, de Leon explained in the opening remarks.