VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — The Department of Agriculture–Regional Field Office 10 (DA-
10) is stepping up efforts to modernize rice farming in Northern Mindanao by promoting
climate-smart and resource-efficient technologies designed to raise yields, reduce production
costs and help farmers adapt to changing weather conditions.

During the 2026 wet cropping season, the DA-10 Research Division established technology
demonstrations for the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), Integrated Rice-Duck Farming
System (IRDFS), Heirloom Agro-Ecology (HAE), and OneRicePH–Expanded On-Farm
Technology Demonstration (EOFTD) in Barangay Kahaponan here.
The DA-10 in a press release said the initiative was carried out in partnership with the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and
the City Government of Valencia, with members of the Kahaponan Valencia City Irrigators
Association (KVCIA) serving as farmer-cooperators.
The technology demonstration culminated in a Farmers’ Field Day on Sept. 23, bringing together
farmers, DA experts and technology developers for technical discussions and farmer-to-farmer
knowledge exchange.
The DA-10 said the demonstrations are designed to identify and promote site-specific farming
practices that make more efficient use of water, fertilizer, land and other farm resources while
improving overall productivity.

One of the approaches showcased was the integration of rice-duck farming with SRI, a
combination that can improve water management, suppress weeds and pests, enhance soil
aeration and diversify farmers’ sources of income.
Maridith A. Flores, DA-10 senior science research specialist, said the technologies are being
scaled up across Region 10 as part of efforts to improve farm productivity while encouraging the
efficient and appropriate use of fertilizers.
She said the practices are also intended to help rice farmers cope with climate-related challenges
that increasingly affect production decisions and farm performance.
A major component of the field day was the on-site Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS) under
the OneRicePH EOFTD, which gave farmers an opportunity to directly assess four rice varieties
being tested at the demonstration site.
The varieties included NSIC Rc 600, planted by farmer-cooperator Joel Duldulao; NSIC Rc 670,
Felix Cordero; NSIC Rc 650, Apolonio Parone; and NSIC Rc 622, Joey Agbayani.
Farmers evaluated the varieties based on grain and crop characteristics, agronomic traits, yield
potential and other attributes relevant to actual farm conditions.
NSIC Rc 600, planted by Duldulao, received the highest overall score in the farmers’ evaluation.
The results of the PVS will provide reference data for selecting and promoting rice varieties
considered suitable for wider adoption and mass planting in the pilot techno-demo site.
For Duldulao, the technology demonstration offers more than a chance to test new varieties. It
provides practical information that can guide his future decisions on what to plant and how to
make his farm more profitable.
“I am very happy to be one of the cooperators who got to experience the OneRicePH program,”
Duldulao said, stressing that farmers need to treat farming as a business while continuing to
fulfill their role in feeding communities.
He said the demonstration would serve as a useful basis for deciding which rice varieties to plant
in the future.
The DA-10 said its continued collaboration with rice research institutions and local governments
is aimed at bringing climate-adaptive technologies and high-performing varieties closer to
farmers, helping them respond to rising production costs, market pressures and the impacts of a
changing climate.
Through technology demonstrations, farmer participation and field-based evaluation, the agency
seeks to ensure that rice innovations are not only developed in research settings but are tested

under actual farm conditions before wider adoption across Northern Mindanao.
(NQA/melbmadera)