BSS, Rangpur :
The Pilipino farmers have been boosting rice production continuously using the latest technologies, quality seed, mechanisation of agriculture and proper crop management with web-based tools.
In the past, many farmers in the Philippines did not think profession of a farmer honourable and hesitated to introduce themselves as farmers when asked by anybody about occupations.
But, the things have changed now following magnificent success achieved by Pilipino farmers to improve life standard and livelihoods increasing rice output significantly at reduced costs even under adverse climate.
Talking to BSS Senior Reporter Mamun Islam by the sideline of a Cyber-Village Project (CVP) Farmers’ Forum held on October 2 last at International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters at Los Banos in Philippines, a number of farmers narrated their success stories.
“I used to consider farming as the job of a poor man because that was what everyone thought in the past. So why, I was not confident enough when people asked me what my occupation was,” Pilipino farmer Florencio Madalipay said.
“But, when I started building up knowledge about rice farming from various available sources like e-Centre at local CVP and got more rice output, I grew confident. So I could then proudly say, I am proud of being a Filipino farmer,” he said.
The Department of Agriculture of Philippines and IRRI launched CVP in 2008 to provide farmers easy access to web-enabled crop and farm management tools like Rice Crop Management, Rice Knowledge Bank and Nutrient Manager for Rice, Pilipino Rice Knowledge Bank and other facilities.
“These tools are speeding up delivery, dissemination, sharing of knowledge, experience and communicating rice-based technologies,” said CVP Coordinator and Head of IRRI’s Head Partnerships Jojo Lapitan.
“We are all trying to improve rice productivity and yield. The forum is a way for everyone not just to share experiences and assess impacts of the project, but also to ask for feedback and recommendations from the farmers,” he added.
Jessie Delideli, a farmer from Dingle of Iloilo region, said he did not expect to make something of himself. His life is a testament to the contrary. In addition to being a successful farmer, he is a farmer-cum-technician now in his locality.
“Farming is not all about brains, but also passion. I enjoy sharing information with my fellow farmers when they ask about an insect or a pest problem. I provide them with proper recommendations after checking the samples on the computer,” he said.
Delideli has recently joined the Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM) team in his area, for which he collects rice-related data from his fellow farmers.
A native of Batac of Ilocos Norte region, Guillermo Quemquem, 52, said age is not a hindrance to learning new technologies and ICT-based web tools.
Quemquem’s barangay (the smallest local government unit in the Philippines) has its own e-Centre.
“As the leader in my barangay, I first test new technologies myself. Then, I involve my counselors, even secretaries and treasurer also to learn and alter they trained farmers at our e-Centre,” he said.
“And so, 60 percent farmers from outside our barangay also learned and that is how use of ICT-based tools for rice crop management technologies spreads fast in our area,” he furthered.
Farmers Genevieve Madelo, Ester Solamo, Fredric Paniyar and William Gitakay members of another CVP e-Centre also narrated their successes and shared experiences with BSS.
They said how better farming practices using quality seeds or seedlings, fertiliser, water and managements of pests, diseases, rats and other problems through access to ICT-based web rolls for better information have improved their incomes and rice yields.
National Scientist of Philippines and IRRI Consultant Dr Gelia Castillo and Senior Manager at IRRI Training Centre Engineer Engene Castro said CVP accelerates extension systems of ICT-based technologies, web tools and mobile technologies helping farmers increasing rice production at reduced costs under changing climate.
