Editorial

Outstanding 2014 Agri Rice 

Achievers Of Region 6

by James Earl E. Ogatis

To give due credit to the front liners in Rice Self Sufficiency Program (RSSP) and to encourage the full participation of the local government units (LGUs), Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) and Local Farmer Technicians (LFTs) involved in rice production, Department of Agriculture (DA) 6 selected 58 outstanding AEWs, five LFTs and one LGU from among those who intended and submitted their documents. These awardees have contributed to the increase in rice yield. They contributed much in achieving rice self-sufficiency in Western Visayas for the year 2014.

According to Dir. Larry P. Nacionales, DA 6 Regional Executive Director, the Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers Awards is one of the many interventions and incentives to AEWs, LFTs, and LGUs in order to encourage commitment and ensure excellent delivery of agricultural services, technology transfer and adoption to the rice farmers.

He said that the two major strategies in improving rice production, namely, increasing yield per unit area and expanding the areas under rice cultivation through the improvement or rehabilitation of existing systems and construction of new irrigation facilities paved the way in ensuring sufficient supply of rice in the region.

Of the AEW awardees, nine are from Passi City, Iloilo; five from Cabatuan and Dingle, Iloilo, four from Calinog and Tubungan, Iloilo, three from Badiangan, Bingawan, Pavia, Iloilo, and Banga, Aklan; two from Banate, Janiuay, Oton, Sta. Barbara, Tigbauan, Iloilo and Dumalag, Capiz; and one from Batad, Miag-ao, New Lucena, Pototan, San Enrique, San Rafael, Iloilo and Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.

For the LFT awardees, two came from the municipality of Sta. Barbara and City of Passi, Iloilo and one from Pavia, Iloilo while the winner for the LGU category is the municipality of San Enrique, Iloilo. The municipalities of Dingle, Iloilo and Dumalag, Capiz will be given special citation award as outstanding municipalities.  

Each AEW and LFT will receive a cash award of Php20, 000.00 while the outstanding municipality will be given a Php1.0 million worth of project to further boost the rice industry in their locality.

Agri-Pinoy rice program action officer Rene B. Famoso said that the awardees were evaluated based on their production data 2013 versus 2014, yield increment and production, trainings conducted and attended, internal revenue allotment allotted to the agriculture program, allocation of personnel to the rice program, use of quality seeds, road map, number of farmers and clusters assisted and submission of reports.

Famoso stressed that the many AEWs and LFTs who vied for the awards this year indicates a clear manifestation that these frontline agricultural service providers were inspired and truly committed to deliver agri-technologies and interventions to the rice farmers.

“ We have to intensify our evaluation process and see to it that every page of the submitted documents are given proper points in order to determine the best among the best in the three categories”, added Famoso.

Region 6 ranks number three as the highest rice producing region in the country with a production of 2,065,166 metric tons and sustain an average yield of 3.46 metric tons per hectare in 2014.

The DA 6 will announce the date and venue of the awarding ceremonies of the winners this first quarter of 2015. /MP