TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite – The Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), will conduct Rice Crop Manager (RCM) briefing in Tanza town on May 29.
ATI’s information chief, Rolando V. Maningas, said the institute in Region IV-A targets some 300 farmer-beneficiaries in Teresa and Tanay towns (both in Rizal province), Lucena City (Quezon), Pangil and Siniloan (Laguna) and Tanza (Cavite) to receive their field recommendation for rice production this coming cropping season.
The briefing, which started May 11 and will run until the month of July, is divided into six batches of 50 farmers each, Maningas said.
RCM uses advances in information and communications technology (ICT) to provide professional extension and advisory services to farmers through an application using their smartphones or computer with internet connection.
By using results of research and existing knowledge, extension officers provide farmers in irrigated and rain-fed lowlands with specific recommendations on nutrient, pest, weed or water management, depending on the farmer’s specific variety used, his yield from the previous season, and the site-specific conditions of the field with the use of the app, Maningas said.
The program’s target end results include an increase in farmer’s income and yields, and be able to reach more farmers with extension service.
Through improved crop and nutrient management, RCM aims to add 300kg of unmilled rice to each crop per season, per hectare. (Gladys Pino/PNA)
