The Department of Science and Technology-Central Luzon (DOST 3) has provided post-harvest mill machines to farmer groups in Bulacan to help them produce affordable brown rice.
Under the DOST’s Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) program, six farmer groups have received one each of compact impeller brown rice mills (CIBRM) that will enable them to produce brown rice and sell it at prices lower compared to those in supermarkets.
DOST Region 3 Director Julius Caesar Sicat said on Thursday although brown rice is available commercially, it is usually patronized only by health-conscious persons who can afford it.
Sicat said brown rice must be made available to more people, especially those with nutritional deficiencies.
“Through the CIBRM, the DOST aimed at increasing the consumption of brown rice by expanding its availability to more people in local communities where malnutrition, especially among children, might be present,” he said in a statement.
Brown rice is produced by removing only the hull of the rice grain thus, leaving a higher content of nutritionally important fibers, minerals and natural oils, making it more nutritious than polished white rice.
Meanwhile, Robert Galicia, San Roque Sun Rice Farmers Association president, thanked the DOST for giving them the CIBRM.
“Having post-harvest facilities such as CIBRM is a big help. We, the farmers, can directly use this (CIBRM) to process palay to become staple food and at the same time, brown rice will be our major product and sell it to the markets,” Galicia said in Filipino.
The other farmer group beneficiaries were the Samahang Magsasaka ng Malolos, St. Michael Farmers Association of Pandi, BSJ Iisang Layunin Irrigators Association Inc., Hulo Gitna Macapatan Irrigators Association Inc. of Bulakan, and Samahang Magsasaka ng Calizon of Calumpit.
Aira Ronalie Santos, Provincial Science and Technology Office-Bulacan project assistant, said they are coordinating with the various local nutrition offices in the different towns to encourage them to use brown rice produced by the six farmer groups in their supplementary feeding programs. (PNA)
