Rice farmers in Negros Occidental are getting support from the Department of Agriculture (DA) to increase the utilization rate of crop establishment technologies provided by the national government.

Data from the Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPA) on Wednesday showed the DA-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) delivered 220 units of machinery to farmers in Negros Occidental from 2019 to 2024.

These include walk-behind transplanters, riding-type transplanters, and rice precision seeders.

For two days until Wednesday, the PhilMech is holding an advocacy campaign and demonstration of crop establishment technologies for 100 farmer-beneficiaries from the cities of Bago, Cadiz, Bacolod, Silay, Victorias, Sipalay, and Himamaylan, and the municipalities of Murcia and EB Magalona at the Negros Residences in this city.

In his message, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson thanked PhilMech for intensifying the campaign among beneficiaries of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program in the province.

“I strongly believe that it is not enough that we open doors of opportunities to those in need. Rather, we need to usher them to be able to pass through such doors. Thank you for your programs and continuing support of our food security and agricultural productivity initiatives,” he added.

The techno-demo is part of the “Makinaryang Pantanim: Push na ‘Yan sa Palayan!” campaign of the PhilMech extension and operations project, wherein participants will learn from experienced farmer-experts through a farmer-to-farmer approach.

It aims to address low utilization rates of farming technologies due to difficulty in adopting appropriate seedling preparation, lack of technical knowledge in operating the machine, and disinterest of the farmers in using the machine due to planting distance.

Representatives of the Laur Farmers Association and Santor Bongabon Agriculture Cooperative discussed the promising benefits of mechanical transplanter and rice precision seeder.

Local practitioners of the mechanical transplanter, riding-type transplanter, and rice precision seeder also gave their testimonies.

On Wednesday, the showcase of technology featured the actual demonstration and operation of the three crop establishment technologies. (PNA)