Philippine Rice is building a large-scale model farming community in Isabela to boost food security and economic stability of farming communities in the province.
Andres dela Cruz, PhilRice Isabela Science Research Specialist II, said the concept which is an upgraded Palayamanan System, now called Palayamanan Plus, also aims to create a real-life example of integrated and diversified rice-based farming system.
Palayamanan Plus, in addition to increasing farmers’ income and productivity, will be done in large scale. Rice farming will be intensified.
“Aside from having crop combinations such as rice-mungbean or rice-melon, whichever will adapt, to enhance productivity, the said project will include livestock integration, mushroom production and organic fertilizer production,” Dela Cruz said.
He said PhilRice has been promoting the Palayamanan model as a farming system directed towards farm diversification to increase farm productivity and profitability to address food security and economic instability of farm families.
“Increasing the profitability means utilizing farm mechanization and applying purposive integration and diversification of certain farming components,” Dela Cruz said.
He said the Palayamanan Plus project in the province is in collaboration with the local government unit of Quirino, Isabela through Mayor Josie Maria Bella Juan and the Department of Agriculture through municipal agriculturist Mercedita Aquino.
