DA's LU CHAMP program benefits hybrid rice farmers

STO. TOMAS, La Union Oct. 24 (PIA) - A total of 32 hybrid rice farmers from the towns of Sto. Tomas and Rosario benefitted from the Department of Agriculture in the Ilocos' (DA) La Union Clustered Hybrid Advocacy, Mentoring and Partnership (LU CHAMP) Project just recently.

The LU CHAMP program aims to continuously intensify efforts in attaining food security in the country supporting the increase in rice production through hybrid rice technology.

"This has been identified as one of the keys in attaining our goal as proven by the previous hybrid rice derby that was conducted by DA in 2019 during the dry season," DA Regional Director Nestor Domenden said.

According to DA, the farmer-beneficiaries have established a 10 hectare hybrid rice clustered techno-demo farm located on the said towns.

The DA has identified 21 farmer-beneficiaries from Sto. Tomas while 11 of them are from Rosario.

In a testimony, Bued Communal Irrigation System Dam 1 Association member Hilario Villanueva said, "Nagpapasalamat kami sa DA sa pagsali sa amin sa techn-demo farm na ito dahil kung wala sila ay malaki ang magagastos namin lalo na ngayon na may pandemya."

"Kahit mura ang presyo ng palay sa merkado ngayon, ang presensiya ng techno-demo farm na ito ay nakatulong ng malaki sa aming mga magsasaka rito sa aming lugar," Villanueva added.

At present, the farmers are still learning how to fully attain high production in using hybrid seeds and are expected to apply practices maximizing the yield potential up to 12 tons per hectare of the different commercially available hybrid rice seeds in the region. (JCR/AMB/AHFF/PIA-1)