POLANGUI, Albay — The Department of Agriculture (DA) regional office turned over PHP1.6 million worth of farm equipment to 14 farmers and irrigators associations in the province of Albay during the Hybrid Rice Cluster Techno-Demo National Field Day held recently.
Emily Bordado, DA regional information officer, said Tuesday that beneficiaries were some 900 farmers and irrigators from Albay with a total of 420 hectares of rice fields in the whole municipality of Polangui.
“Five commercial seed companies which include Bayer (Bigante), Syngenta (NK5017 and S6003), Pioneer (PHB77 and PHB79), Seedworks (TH82) and SL Agritek (SL18) were also present during the activity,” Bordado added.
Alfredo Mariscotes Jr., Polangui municipal agriculturist, said farmers from the municipality were so convinced of the result of the hybridization program that they even volunteered their farms as techno-demo sites for this cropping season.
Mariscotes also deployed nine agricultural technicians (ATs) to assist the farmers and ensure that the required technology will be properly implemented in their techno-demo farms.
Aside from the technical supervision of the ATs, the seed companies also assigned their own technicians to assist the farmers.
“Garo man sana kami nanggana sa lotto (It’s like winning in a lottery),” said 64-year-old rice farmer Ariston B. Bonavente, describing how he felt as he received a hand-tractor with trailer worth PHP120,000 on behalf of the San Ramon-Cabangan Farmers’ Association of Tabaco City.
Polangui Mayor Cherilie Sampal encouraged the participants to practice and adopt the knowledge they have learned during the field day.
She assured the farmers of the continuous support of the LGU to their agricultural endeavors. (PNA)
