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| National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Engr. Eduardo “Eddie” G. Guillen joins the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas (KBP) media forum to highlight programs that are aimed at helping the country achieve rice sufficiency. (Photo Courtesy: National Irrigation Administration) |
by: Janna Marie Pineda
QUEZON CITY, (PIA) – More than 100,000 Filipinos were able to avail of the P29 per kilo rice of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) under the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Program.
The BBM rice program caters to vulnerable sectors including senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), solo parents, and members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to improve their access to affordable quality rice.
The said initiative is made possible by the implementation of the Farming Support Services Program or contract farming which allows the NIA to extend financial and farming support to rice farmers, particularly those who are members of the Irrigators’ Association.
Under the Farming Support Services Program, the NIA provides farm inputs worth P50,000 per hectare including seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. It also extends financial assistance for land preparation and harvesting.
A total of five (5) metric tons of fresh palay produce are directly purchased by the NIA through the contract farming for the P29 per kilo BBM rice.
“[The] Farming Support Services Program empowers Filipino farmers to grow more, earn more, and sustain their livelihoods,” said the NIA, during the 22nd Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas (KBP) media forum on Tuesday, October 22.
To further achieve rice sufficiency, NIA Administrator Engr. Eduardo “Eddie” G. Guillen emphasized that increasing the number of irrigation facilities alone cannot strengthen the productivity of farmers.
“May ginagawa po tayo ngayon na paraan para ‘yung kakulangan natin sa bigas ay ma-solve natin sa lalong madaling panahon. Ito po ‘yung pag-increase natin ng tinatawag na cropping intensity,” said Guillen.
(We are implementing measures to solve the insufficient rice production as early as possible. This is the increase in what we call cropping intensity.)
Cropping intensity refers to the number of times in which a farmer can grow crops in the same agricultural area within a year.
The NIA proposed a shift in cropping schedule to increase the cropping intensity of agricultural lands. This includes the change in cropping calendar to October to February instead of April to August to avoid the peak of the typhoon season in the country.
NIA Administrator Guillen is actively conducting a consultation dialogue with the leaders and stakeholders of the Irrigators’ Association for the implementation of the proposed cropping schedule.
Meanwhile, the NIA requested an amount of P6 billion for the contract farming program in 2025. This is significantly higher than the current P3.4 billion allocation for the said program.
The increase in funding will enable NIA to expand the target area to be planted under the contract farming from 40,000 hectares to 120,000 hectares. This is expected to generate 600,000 metric tons of palay or 300,000 metric tons of rice.
300,000 metric tons of palay will be sold to the National Food Authority (NFA) while the 75,000 metric tons of rice will be sold at Kadiwa centers. Another 75,000 metric tons of rice will also be made available for the Rice 4 All Program Markets of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
This distribution is expected to generate a total income of P12.450 billion. (JMP/PIA-NCR)
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