Traditional Farming! Revive Upland Rice Farming In Ancestral Domain Areas

Upland Rice Farming also known as “Panuig,” which is done once a year and usually starts from January to March, has the potential of contributing to the rice sufficiency program while addressing hunger and poverty in the tribal areas of the country.
In the Ancestral Domain Areas alone, estimated to be over 5-million hectares mainly medium to high-elevation, Upland Rice Farming could cover 500,000 hectares over the next 4 Years.
With an estimated average yield of only 2-metric tons, the Upland Rice Farming Program could produce 1-million metric tons of palay or 600,000-metric tons of milled rice.
Upland Rice Farming production could be boosted with the use of modern technology and Hybrid Rice Seed, NSIC RC350H, which could be planted through direct or dry-seeding.
This new hybrid rice variety, also known by its commercial name as Tatag TH82, had been tested by the Department of Agriculture in low-land dry seeding and by the Mindanao Development Authority in Upland Farming.
In the low-land non-irrigated areas, TH82 had recorded yields of 6 to 8 metric tons while in the Upland Areas planted during the “Panuig” season, it posted yields of between 4 to 5-metric tons.
The use of modern rice farming technology, including hybrid rice seeds, in Upland Rice Farming could mitigate hunger and poverty in the Tribal Communities.
With a conservative yield estimate of only 3-metric tons per hectare, 500,000-hectares of Ancestral Domain Areas could produce 1.5-million metric tons of palay or 900,000-metiric tons of milled rice.
This production which is roughly 1/3 of the volume of rice imported by the country every year will have a huge impact on the rice sufficiency program of the country.
To ensure that the program benefits many tribal families in the Upland Areas, I designed the program “Kalahating Ektarya Sa Bawat Pamilya.”
This would involve the training of Tribal Families on the use of modern hybrid rice seeds and fertilization protocols in their traditional “Panuig” rice farming.
For every farm family in the highlands or in non-irrigated but water supply-accessible areas, seeds good for 1/2 hectare will be provided, along with the needed inputs for land preparation, fertilization and plant care.
The program should engage LGUs and encourage them to use their development and calamity funds to provide funds for the construction of solar dryers and the purchase of mini-rice mills to be installed in the tribal areas.
The DA should form a team of Rice Experts and Plant Nutrition Specialists to undertake a Workshop on Upland Rice Farming.
With a target of 1/2 hectare per family covering 500,000 hectares over the next 5 years, the KEBP Upland Rice Farming Program will benefit 1-million Tribal Families all over the country.
To ensure the continuity of the program, the DA should consider implementing a program called “Barefoot Rice Technicians” which would involve Tribal Youth who would be trained in Upland Rice Farming Technology.
This program will save 1-million families from hunger while creating job opportunities in the Tribal Areas of the country.
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