MMSU, PhilRice to develop 10 hectares for rice research

MMSU and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) have agreed to develop the 10-hectare university experimental farms for rice and other dryland-related crops.

 

This usufructuary agreement, which will last for 25 years, will involve the application of various modern technology interventions which will increase the yield of rice, corn, and other high-value commercial crops that thrive in the lowlands.

 

In a management meeting that was held at MMSU on July 30, MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis said the university is allowing PhilRice the right, privilege, and access to use, develop and manage the 10-hectare experimental farms for development projects so that Ilocos farmers may learn something to increase their yield.

 

This partnership is necessary in order for PhilRice to carry out its research, development and extension (RDE) programs in line with the National Rice Roadmap and in the Rice Tarification Law (RTL).

 

Meanwhile, this partnership between the two agencies is in line with the government’s plan to expand high-quality seeds area in the country through the Department of Agriculture (DA), an effort to increase farmers’ accessibility to high-quality seeds.

 

Aside from MMSU, PhilRice had already inked an agreement with the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) for the establishment of a 50-hectare seed production area in the region. The agency believes that farmers’ competitiveness starts with high-quality inbred seeds. 

 

“That’s why we have to double our efforts in producing high-quality seeds as demand for foundation, registered and certified seeds will increase with the implementation of Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund,” PhilRice acting executive director Sailila Abdula said in a statement.

 

Anent to this, PhilRice-Batac has already laid out its plan to build infrastructure facilities in the composite 10-hectare farms of MMSU in support of rice R&D programs such as irrigation pumps, water reservoirs, and motor pool sheds, among others.

 

Under the agreement, both agencies will coordinate one another and jointly explore complementary schemes for other special projects not specified in the agreement and that this is necessary to further develop the agriculture sector in the Ilocos region.

 

As specified in the agreement, the two agencies will start this year the preparation of the rice research, development and extension (RDE) programs for the Ilocos region, northern Cagayan, and some portions of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

 

These programs shall capture the unique agriculture and rice production traditions and practices of Ilocos farmers characterized by small farm sizes, intensive rice and rice-based cropping systems, hoping that these will help attain food sufficiency along with high household income for farmers.

 

The two agency heads also emphasized that both agencies will give special attention and support for the implementation of two major programs – the PhilRice’s national program to produce inbred rice seeds for farmers and provided for in the RTL, and MMSU’s plan to organize tenant farmers to adopt modern farming technologies for rice and other crops grown after the rice season.

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