Farmers from the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Cadiz, Silay, Victorias, Sipalay, and Himamaylan, and the towns of Murcia and E.B. Magalona attended the Advocacy Campaign and Demonstration of Crop Establishment Technologies at Negros Residences in Bacolod City July 9.
The activity was aimed at increasing the utilization rate of crop establishment technologies, such as the mechanical rice transplanters and rice precision seeders.
The participants are beneficiaries of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program of the Department of Agriculture, and are expected to learn from experienced farmer-experts, through a farmer-to-farmer approach.
The techno-demo is part of the campaign, dubbed “Makinaryang Pantanim: Push na ‘Yan sa Palayan!” which is a collaborative project of the extension and operations of the Philippine Center for Post-Harvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).
Among the identified reasons for low utilization rates of farming technologies include the difficulty in the adoption and appropriate seedling preparation, lack of technical knowledge in operating the machine, and the disinterest of farmers on the use of the machine due to planting distance.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson thanked the DA and PhilMech for intensifying the campaign on adopting crop establishment technologies among RCEF beneficiaries.
He also acknowledged all stakeholders and supporters of the provincial government’s Food Security and Agricultural Productivity programs, through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, a Capitol press release said.
OPA records show that PhilMEch has already delivered 220 units of farm machinery to Negros Occidental from 2019 to 2024, including rice precision seeders, walk-behind transplanters, and riding-type transplanters.
Lacson, meanwhile, met with Jenauh Job Jamili, OIC area manager of the Plant Quarantine Service-Bacolod, and several technical staff of the Bureau of Plant Industry, Crop Pest Management Division in Manila, July 9 for updates on the recent crop protection initiatives and assistance to control pest infestation among farmlands in various LGUs of the province. ||
