Philippines : DA to provide rice seeds to farmers
The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 2 (DA-RFO2) has issued a directive for the immediate delivery of rice seeds to farmers in Cagayan province affected by a recent shear line calamity. A total of 2,599 bags of hybrid and inbred seeds will be distributed, with deliveries prioritized for the hardest-hit areas. The disaster impacted over 16,000 hectares of farmland.
THE Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 2 (DA-RFO2) has issued a memorandum to ensure the immediate delivery of rice seeds to farmers affected by the shear line in Cagayan province.
DA regional executive director Rose Mary Aquino said the memorandum outlined the allocation of hybrid and inbred rice seeds for delivery “to support farmers in the province of Cagayan affected by the recent shear line-induced calamity.”
Aquino also emphasized the urgency of the initiative in a memorandum dated Jan. 15, 2025, adding that the rice seeds, sourced from different sites across the region are scheduled for delivery to the DA-Southern Cagayan Research Center (SCRC) in Minanga Norte in Iguig town no later than Jan. 22, 2025.
“The timely delivery and distribution of these seeds are critical to replanting efforts and restoring agricultural productivity in the affected areas,” she said.
Barby Lagajet-Balcita of the DA Region 2 Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section, said that the allocated rice seeds include 891 bags of hybrid varieties such as SL8, US 88, TH82, Biorice, LP, Jackpot, Bigante, Rc 222, and Rc 508 from Isabela.
Balcita said 481 bags of Jackpot and LP 534 seeds were sourced from the municipalities of Saguday and Diffun in Quirino province while the province of Nueva Vizcaya contributed 1,227 bags of hybrid seeds, including SL-19, SL8, LP937, US 88, TH82, and Jackpot, sourced from areas like Bagabag, Bambang, Aritao, and other municipalities.
She said that 2,599 bags of hybrid and inbred rice seeds will be distributed, ensuring the affected farmers can begin replanting their fields.
Meanwhile, Balcita said that the report from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist of Cagayan showed that the recent shear line has severely impacted 16,156.95 hectares of farmland across the province.
This includes 7,144.76 hectares of totally damaged areas and 9,012.19 hectares of partially damaged areas.
Balcita said Cagayan’s District 1 recorded the highest level of damage, affecting 8,853.30 hectares.
Aparri town had some 2,890 hectares affected followed by Camalaniugan with 2,015 hectares and Buguey with 1,115.10 hectares while other municipalities such as Lal-lo, Alcala and Baggao also suffered significant losses.
Balcita also noted that to prioritize recovery in the hardest-hit areas, partial deliveries of rice seeds were made to the Municipality of Aparri to facilitate quicker replanting and minimize further losses.
According to the report, District 2 has a total of 4,581.81 hectares affected, with Ballesteros recording 2,693 hectares, Allacapan 1,097 hectares, and Lasam 540.95 hectares.
District 3 reported 2,721.84 hectares of damage. Solana accounted for the majority, with 1,907.76 hectares affected, while Amulung and Peñablanca experienced losses of 799.08 hectares and smaller portions, respectively.
Aquino, meanwhile, thanked the Field Operations Division and Rice Program, the Research Center and Experiment Station Managers, Agricultural Program coordinating officers and local government units for facilitating the rapid mobilization of resources.
She said that through timely interventions, the agency aims to “mitigate the impact of natural disasters and help rebuild the region’s agricultural sector.”
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Source : Manila Times
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