Eight new varieties of rice were introduced at the Technology Demonstration and Learning Farm at Barangay Poblacion Sur in the town of Mayantoc, Tarlac.

In a report by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) on Friday, some 52 farmers gave their sign of approval for the said eight new varieties of rice.

The hybrid rice variety NSIC Rc 650 garnered the most approval, followed by Rc 680, Rc 634, Rc 636, M20, Rc 672, Rc 670 and Rc 480.

The 52 farmers saw the long stalks, large grains, and resilience of the varieties against pests and illnesses.

The event also discussed projects under the SMART Farm Program in Mayantoc, including the use of drones for fertilizing and paddy seeder for easier planting, as part of the technologies that fit their areas.

Provincial Agriculture Office of Tarlac and the Municipal Agriculture Office of Mayantoc were all present during the event.

Rice resilience in Tarlac is being strengthened through the adoption of climate-smart technologies, stress-tolerant seed varieties, and community-driven infrastructure improvements to counter projected yield declines of up to 37 percent in wet seasons due to climate change.

Key initiatives include the International Rice Research Institute’s breeding programs DA-backed Agri-Cluster Consolidation and Cooperation projects, and localized infrastructure like solar dryers.