CEBU CITY – The provincial government led the kickoff of National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM) in Bohol on Monday, November 6, .
Farmers, youth sector representatives, agricultural extension workers, municipal agriculturists, rice technicians, agriculture line agencies, and private seed companies attended the kick-off ceremony at the atrium of the BQ Mall in Tagbilaran City.
The activity was held in partnership with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), Department of Agriculture (DA), and Agricultural Training Institute (ATI).
ATI Director Gracia Arado welcomed participants and stakeholders and highlighted the annual event’s “Be RICEponsible.”
Arado revealed that the country’s per capita consumption of rice is at 133 kilograms for its population of 108 million while Bohol has a lower per capita consumption of 105 kilograms.
Roman Dabalos, who represented DA-Central Visayas Director Angel Enriquez, pushed for the continued collaboration of the province’s agricultural sector in the rice program implementation.
He bared that the DA’s 2023 budget priority in production support services will double to P500 million in 2024. This includes allocation for seeds, fertilizers, and farm machineries, all aimed at achieving rice self-sufficiency for the province.
At present, Bohol provides 78 percent of the rice requirement in Central Visayas, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Liza Quirog of the OPA thanked agriculture sector partners and stakeholders as she echoed the province’s effort to push for agricultural productivity under the leadership of Gov. Aris Aumentado.
She urged farmers to enlist in the registry system for basic sectors in agriculture through their municipal agriculturists and take advantage of rice programs of the national and provincial governments.
Quirog added that the provincial government has allocated P30 million for crop insurance under the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.