Reinventing farms; realizing self-sufficiency

For Alfonso Puyat, the future of farming is not strictly about seeds and soil, but is in science, sustainability, and the will to give back.

On the upcoming episode of Spotlight, airing Tuesday afternoon, 24 June on DAILY TRIBUNE’s social media platforms, Puyat shares how a legacy of innovation — and a lifetime of lessons — led to a quiet revolution in Philippine agriculture through regenerative farming and a breakthrough product called "Tisay Rice."

The founder and president of the Philippine Orchard Corp., Puyat has long championed farmer welfare and agribusiness innovation. But his story began far from the boardroom.

“Actually, by osmosis from my mother,” Alfonso recalled when asked how it all began. “During the time of President Magsaysay, she was named the woman mechanized rice grower LORD of the Philippines.”

Growing up, Puyat walked an hour and a half through mud to reach their rice farm. He witnessed firsthand the hardship and meager returns of smallholder farmers — 20 cavan of rice after six months of backbreaking labor.

These early experiences drove him to study economics at the University of the Philippines, hoping to find solutions to rural poverty.

“I said, I’ll use what I learned in economics to come up with a way to improve the economic situation of the farmers, especially the rice farmers.”

His early ventures included co-developing a mango flower inducer in the 1970s, but it wasn’t until the 2000s — after retiring from corporate life — that he fully committed himself to agriculture.

At the heart of his efforts is a dedication to regenerative farming, an approach that restores soil health by returning essential nutrients through organic methods and microbial technologies.

Nature’s gift

“Regenerative is recognition of nature and its continuance,” he explained. “Whatever you get from the soil, you have to return. I developed fertilizer plus trace elements — iron, boron, a dozen essentials — in forms that had never been done in the Philippines.”

Their 22-hectare family farm in Nueva Ecija stands as proof. Two decades of regenerative practices have sustained its fertility, with yields of up to 360 cavan per hectare — quadruple the national average.

Building on that foundation came the family’s next innovation, Tisay Rice. Although not a new variety, Tisay Rice utilizes existing intermediate amylose rice varieties that are commonly grown by most farmers today.

The innovation lies in how it is milled and cooked. When prepared properly, one cup of uncooked Tisay Rice yields up to four cups of cooked rice — twice the output of regular white rice.

“This is health,” Puyat said. “Particularly for diabetics. The glycemic index of Tisay Rice is 51, while regular well-milled rice is at 89. If more than 61, it’s called bad food. Less than 61, it’s okay.”

Grain to nurture health

Tisay Rice also retains more B1 (thiamine) and fiber — comparable to brown rice — while appearing and tasting like white rice. For the average Filipino household, it means up to P2,025 in monthly savings, simply by needing less rice to produce the same volume of meals.

Through a partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Land Bank of the Philippines and Unified Tillers Agricultural Cooperative (UTAC), the Puyats are now rolling out both the farming method and milling innovation to farmers across Regions 2, 3 and 4B. Initial field tests recorded yield jumps from 80 to as high as 280 cavan per hectare.

“Part of regenerative is the organic substitution of regular commercial fertilizer with organic fertilizer containing probiotics,” Puyat added. “Eventually, you don’t need fertilizers anymore. The bacteria will produce the nitrogen, solubilize the phosphorus, and the potassium comes from ash.”

Tisay Rice is not yet commercially available, but preparations are underway. Packaging is being finalized with cooking instructions and QR codes. Talks are ongoing with supermarkets, restaurant chains and government agencies — including the Department of Education, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of Social Welfare and Development — for institutional adoption.

Productivity to feed all

Looking ahead, Puyat’s goal is national sufficiency.

“Before the end of President Bongbong Marcos’ term, we will have enlisted enough hectareage — 2.5 to 3 million hectares. We will be self-sufficient in rice,” he declared. “We have four million hectares of rice land. With efficiency, we can convert the rest to corn, even coffee. We import so much of both.”

“It really depends on infrastructure,” he said of the timeframe. “We don’t need new mills. We just have to run the existing ones longer — maybe 16 hours instead of eight.”

Beyond technical advances, Puyat believes widespread adoption depends on visibility and support. His dream? To one day see the Philippines known not just for mangoes or durian — but for Tisay Rice. A homegrown solution that feeds better, costs less, and leaves the land richer than before.

And it all began with a muddy walk to the family farm.