DA, PAGASA partner to utilize weather data, rice data for food security

The Department of Agriculture (DA) Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA) are partnering to use weather data and rice data to ensure food security in the country.

PAGASA Administrator Dr. Nathaniel T. Servando, Weather Services Chief Thelma A. Cinco, and DA-PhilRice Executive Director Dr. John C. De Leon signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at the DA PhilRice headquarters in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija on 24 September 2026.

The said agreement establishes a framework for exchanging datasets and technical information between the two government institutions. The partnership is intended to support science-based agricultural planning, disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the collaboration forms part of the government’s broader push to modernize agriculture through science, technology and data-driven decision-making.

“The PhilRice-PAGASA collaboration is an important step in our push for a more modern, climate-resilient, productive, and sustainable agriculture sector, while strengthening the country’s food security,” said Tiu Laurel. “By bringing weather and climate information together with agricultural data, we can help government and farmers make better-informed decisions and respond more effectively to climate risks,” he added.

Under the agreement, PAGASA will provide DA-PhilRice with weather and climate datasets, including gridded information such as ClimGridPh, as well as access to its Ten-Day Weather Forecast API. The forecast service includes available information on rainfall, minimum and maximum temperature, wind speed and direction, cloud cover and humidity.

PAGASA will also share geospatial and hazard-related datasets, including tropical cyclone tracks, rainfall advisories, affected provinces, drought and dry-spell assessments, soil moisture maps, rainfall forecasts and surface-temperature forecasts.

In return, DA-PhilRice will provide PAGASA with rice-area and planting-date maps derived from the Philippine Rice Information System (PRiSM), rice growth-phase datasets and other agricultural geospatial information. The institute will also share rice-risk assessments, historical provincial rice production and yield data, and rice variety information where applicable.

The agreement places particular emphasis on data security and intellectual property. Shared information is to be used for research and development purposes and not for personal or commercial advantage. Raw API data, system credentials and proprietary datasets may not be disclosed to third parties without prior written consent from the originating institution.

The MOA takes effect upon signing and remains in force until December 2028, subject to renewal, amendment or early termination under specified conditions. Its data-sharing framework is intended to help translate weather and agricultural information into tools for monitoring, planning and managing risks to rice production.