DA-NFA steps up distribution of certified seeds to thousands of farmers in Caraga region

BUTUAN CITY, May 3 – As part of the government’s food security program in the Caraga region, the Department of Agriculture-National Food Authority (NFA) is stepping up the buying, handling and distribution of certified palay seeds to thousands of farmers in four provinces and six cities in Northeastern Mindanao, food and agriculture officials said Monday.

To help the farmers’ budgetary scheme, Region 13 DA Regional Executive Director Ricardo Regis and NFA Caraga Regional Director Gil Pepito B. Paqueo said farmers will only pay P600 for a 40-kilo bag of rice seeds worth P1,200 while the remaining P600.00 will be shouldered by the government.

They said they have already directed their field officials especially the Municipal Agriculturists (MAs) and Agricultural Technologists (ATs) to assist the farmers on this new development, should they need to avail of the assistance.

The two officials said that under the Rapid Seed Supply Financing Project (RaSSFiP), the NFA will buy the certified seeds from seed growers and producers accredited by the DA.

The NFA will implement the certified paddy seed acquisition and distribution program through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the NFA and the DA and as agreed upon by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Under the agreement, the DA will provide the NFA with the corresponding budget for seed procurement along with the list of certified and registered seed producers accredited by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) as well as the masterlist of farmer-beneficiaries of the program.

The DA will set the buying price for the certified seeds.

The NFA will be using its expertise in grain handling to maintain the quality of seeds until these are distributed to farmer beneficiaries for planting before the production period starts.

The provision of high-yielding seed varieties of palay is one of the major components of the DA’s FIELDS (Fertilizer, Irrigation, Extension, Loans, Dryers and other post harvest facilities and Seeds) program which is the government’s anchor program in achieving the country’s targeted self-sufficiency in food.

“We are maximizing this effort to help our farmers and at the same time a security food program in the region and other parts of the country,” added Regis.

Added assistance to Caraga farmers’ rice production is to maximize the use of PhilRice Combine Harvester, he said.

The DA’s Regional Field Unit 13 (DA RFU-13) through the Regional Agriculture Engineering Division (RAED) spearheads the continuous hands-on training on PhilRice Combine Harvester machine, Regis said.

He added that the machine has outstanding features as it combines harvesting, threshing, cleaning, and bagging; can harvest one hectare a day; with grain losses from 1-3 percent; lower harvesting cost compared to traditional; lightweight and small; easy to operate, designed for local condition and locally manufactured.

Based on an earlier model from China, the said farm implement is manufactured by Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Central Experiment Station based in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija in collaboration with the Briggs & Stratton Corporation.

Farm mechanization is a step to address problem on losses incurred both in the production and post production operations affecting the agriculture industry and forms part of the implementation of agricultural mechanization program under Republic Act 8435 otherwise known as the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA)

In another development, the provincial government of Lanao del Norte pushed for more agri-initiatives to achieve sustainable agriculture and food security of the province.

The initiatives were being discussed by more than 140 municipal agriculture officers (MAOs) from the 16 municipalities in that province who convened last week in Tubod town of that same province to share insights, experiences, and best practices that would hasten the recovery of losses in agricultural products brought about by the EL Niño phenomenon.

Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo, (2nd District, Lanao del Norte), talked about the importance of land utilization and encourage inter-cropping to increase crop production, create a better understanding between irrigation associations and farmers, and to initiate plans and programs to all agricultural-based municipalities in the province.

The forum seeks to support all the municipal agriculture officers (MAO’s) to get involved with the programs and projects of the provincial government to solidify the agricultural sector in Lanao del Norte.

“The provincial leadership believes that progress is best achieved when all the stakeholders, non-government organizations (NGO’s), farmers and local government units understand the critical role of agriculture and work together to maximize the agricultural production of the province,” said Rep. Dimaporo.

Source: http://balita.ph/2010/05/03/da-nfa-steps-up-distribution-of-certified-seeds-to-thousands-of-farmers-in-caraga-region/