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A significant step up in the agriculture sector in Davao de Oro came into light right after the successful harvest of the Community Hybrid Rice Model Farm: a community model of hybrid rice variety established in selected barangays in the municipalities of Compostela and Nabunturan ranging up to 200 hectares of land area.
The model farms are an initiative through the collaboration of the Department of Agriculture Region XI, Provincial Government of Davao de Oro headed by Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga, Provincial Agriculturist's Office of DdO, Municipal Agriculture Offices of Compostela and Nabuturan, and private seed companies; Syngenta Philippines, Inc., SL Agritech Corporation, and Bayer Crop Science.
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The project yields a significant rack-up in the province's rice sector by using four (4) hybrid rice varieties: Bigante Plus, NK5017, SL 20H, and M20. These hybrid rice varieties showed the potential to adapt to climate changes and generate a higher income for the local farmers.
The involved agencies and private partners also pushed for the concept of farm clustering, a method utilizing two cropping seasons, both wet and dry cropping irrigated areas, to fully maximize space, time, and effort. In total, the municipality of Compostela involves Brgy. Gabi, Tamia, Lagab, San, Jose, and Siocon has 100 hectares of rice model farm site with 66 farmer-cooperators, while Brgy. Magading, Libasan (LIPRIMCO), Libasan (PNIA), and Pangutusan comprised Nabunturan with 100 hectares of rice model farm site and 78 farmer-cooperators.
Further, both Compostela and Nabunturan received 25 bags of rice seeds for each hybrid variety of rice for their model farm, including loads of fertilizers (urea, complete, and MOP) per hectare of the model farm.
In partnership with DA and private companies, this initiative of the provincial government is a blueprint for modern, efficient, and effective rice-farming techniques that will soon be adopted by the other farmers province-wide.
PAGRO Head Dr. Jaime Anter, in his message to the farmers during the harvest, conveyed that the government will continue to support them through subsidies, lowering their production costs and increasing their income.
According to PAGRO-DdO, more or less 400 bags of rice (65 kilograms per bag) were harvested yesterday (September 21, 2022) in two (2) model farms located in Brgy. Magading and Pangutusan. The remaining unharvested hybrid rice model farm sites will follow in the last week of September and the first week of October this year. (J. Abella, PAO-IPRD DdO, photos by J. Cadiz)
