The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) on Friday announced that they have completed the delivery of rice seeds for the dry season.

“Through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)-Seed program, 1.7 million bags of high-quality inbred rice seeds were delivered to 957 municipalities from the target 55 provinces all over the country as of Feb. 7,” DA-PhilRice said.

In the recent annual review of the RCEF programs on Seed and Rice Extension Services (RESP), Senator Cynthia Villar, head of the Senate committee on agriculture, commended PhilRice for achieving its target.

“I congratulate DA-PhilRice for achieving its targets despite the threat and the limitations that the current pandemic has brought us,” Villar said in an online presentation.

More than half a million farmers-beneficiaries received 1.5 million bags or 87 percent of the distributed bags.

Some 1,600 trainers across the country were also taught on rice crop production, modern rice farming techniques, seed production, and farm mechanization.

Additionally, the DA-PhilRice said a collaborative effort of the affiliated agencies has conducted four different types of training with different durations and participants to help improve yield while lowering losses in rice production.

For PhilRice, these trainings include Rice Specialists’ Training Course, Training of Trainers, Farmers Field Schools, and seminars/field days. The Institute co-implements RESP with Agriculture Training Institute (ATI), and Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) under DA and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). (PNA)