The provincial government of Cotabato launched the Rice Revolution Program (RRP) in the municipality of M’lang on November 15.
RRP is one of the province’s initiatives to increase the yield and income of rice farmers through joint assistance from the provincial government, the local government units and the Department of Agriculture (DA).
In her message, former Regional Director and Provincial Advisory Council Member Amalia J. Datukan, she emphasized that the RRP was established in the concept of 3Cs – convergence, collaboration, and cooperation-with the goal of providing six sacks of fertilizer per hectare of farm with a total of 6,700 hectares of target rice fields.
Datukan said with RRP, the province is targeting to achieve 5.5 to 6 metric tons yield for certified rice seeds and not less than 5 to 7.5 metric tons for hybrid rice seeds.
Based on the calculation of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg)
if the farmers add two sacks of fertilizer, it’s expected that their yield will increase by 1 to 1.5 tons.
During the launch, 500 farmers/beneficiaries from M’lang each received six sacks of fertilizer.
According to OPAg currently there are 2,800 hectares of farm lands that will benefit from the RRP.
OPAg said it continues to communicate with the local government to complete its taeget of 6,700 hectares throughout the province.
M’lang Municipal Mayor Russel Abonado expressed his gratitude to the leadership of Cotabato Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza for the program.
“Ang pagmamahal at malasakit ni Gov. Mendoza sa bayan ay hindi maitatanggi dahil maliban sa suporta sa mga magsasakang M’langeño benepisyaryo din ito ng iba pangang-imprastraktura,” Abonado said.
Mendoza said the province is committed in implementing comprehensive programs for the farmers.
“Patuloy ang pagsisikap ng kapitolyo upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng magsasaka,” she said.
The activity was attended by representatives from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., National Food Authority (NFA), DA-Provincial Office, Department of Agriculture 12 – Amas Research and Experiment Station (DA-Amres), and others.
