by Lester Mark P. Carnaje
A farmer in Aklan separating the grains of rice from its impurities .
The Department of Agriculture (DA) in an annual meeting on Rice Varietal Improvement Group held last month discussed efforts of improving the rice self-sufficiency of the country.
The 15 representatives from state universities and colleges (SUCs) and top private companies that are active on rice programs such as Bayer Crop Science, Hyrice, Bioseed Research Phil. Inc., Pionner, SL Agritech and Syngenta joined the meeting.
Dr. Eulito U. Bautista, Deputy Executive Director of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), along with representatives of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), and the Inter-national Rice Research Institute (IRRI) presented and discussed the latest rice technology the country is currently undertaking.
The meeting also highlighted reports on new rice variety, yield performance, hybrid rice, as well as on insect screening, disease screening and grain quality.
Dr. Cora Arroyo, Agricultural Center Chief of the Western Visayas Agricultural Research Center (WESVIARC) discussed the results of the test of latest rice variety and approved the release of these rice varieties in the market. She explained that SUC’s and DA offices tested the new rice breed developed by UPLB,
IRRI, and PHILRICE.
Dr. Larry P. Nacionales, Regional Executive Director of DA-6 was the guest speaker which message focused on the theme "Energizing Research, Development and Extension Partnership for Rice Self-Sufficiency."
The DA-Regional Field Unit 6 and the WESVIARC hosted the annual meeting.
The participants also visited the Garin Farm of the Philippine Coconut Authority Chairman Oscar Garin Sr. in Guimbal, Iloilo, and the facilities and fisheries technology of the Southeast Asian Fisheries and Development Center in Tigbauan, Iloilo. /MP
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