DA proposes rice training program for students

MANILA, Philippines -  The Department of Agriculture(DA) is set to train college students in the municipality of Siocon in Zamboanga del Norte in a bid to improve rice farming in the province.

In a statement, the DA said 20 students from the Siocon campus of Jose Rizal Memorial State University are set to train at the Philippine Rice Research Institute in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija for two weeks.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the program is driven by the passion of the young adults to further improve rice farming in Zamboanga del Norte.

“The students who will be learning farming technologies and modern rice production innovations from PhilRice experts, will serve as agricultural technician interns once they finish the two-week course,” the DA said.

Apart from improving the rice sector, the proposed program seeks to imprint to the youngsters the value of farming and its impact to rural development and economic stability, according to the DA.

Moreover, in line with the improvement of rice farming in the province, Pinol recently visited Siocon to personally deliver government assistance to farmers and fishers for their livelihood.

The national government has been set on increasing the agricultural production of Siocon, as farming is the main livelihood of the municipality and considered as one of the largest rice granary of Zamboanga del Norte.

The government has committed a total of P331.8 million worth of infrastructure projects to Siocon last September specifically for the establishment of farm-to market roads, port expansion, and the construction of bridges.

The said budget came from government agencies such as Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana) project of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Government.