Addressing Hunger! Upland Rice Farming In Mindanao Tribal Areas

Leaders of Bukidnon’s Tribal Communities will witness next week the harvest of an Upland Rice Variety in a model farm in Manolo Fortich town.
This is intended to prepare the Tribal Farmers for the launching of the Kalahating Ektarya Bawat Pamilya Program.
The KEBP Program aims to support upland farming families produce rice through the traditional farming practices but this time they will be planting a new hybrid rice variety which grows in un-irrigated areas.
Yesterday, I had a phone conversation with lawyer Burt Estrada, former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and a member of the Bukidnon Tribal Community, and we both agreed to introduce KEBP in Bukidnon’s Tribal lands first and later on, the rest of Mindanao.
Supporting this advocavcy is Seedworks, Phils. which distributes the seeds of the Upland Hybrid Rice Variety TH82.
The Dept.of Agriculture Region 10 under Director Carlene Collado wil also support the program by providing farm inputs.
Through the KEBP, tribal farmers in the highlands will be taught how to plant a modern hybrid rice variety which could produce up to 8 metric tons even without irrigation.
The program is aimed at addressing hunger and poverty in the highlands of Mindanao.
#KungGustoMaramingParaan!
#CaringForTheTribes!
(Photos of the TH82 Model Farm in Manolo Fortich from Seedworks Phils.)