Whenever you take meals with rice, have you ever thought about how much passion and human effort it takes to produce this valuable commodity and food staple?
Just to give you a glimpse, in the annual agricultural calendar of the Ifugaos (of the famed Ifugao Rice Terraces), 12 rice rituals are performed every year.
The Lukya, starts the first working phase of the year. The Hipngat is held after cleaning the rice field. The bolnat, during planting to ask blessings from the deities and ancestral spirits for productivity.
After the planting season, the kulpi is performed. At the start of the weeding phase, the hagophop is conducted. When the slope of the rice terraces is cleared while the rice plants bear abundant grains, the bodad is observed.
The paad is done when the rice grains mature and the ngilin is held immediately before harvesting. Ani is performed during harvesting and upin after harvesting.
Finally kahiw is performed at home to release people from their promise to the Gods. Mumbakis or the native high priest do the chanted rituals.
Like the Ifugaos, every rice farmer desires to achieve a bountiful rice harvest in every planting season. Our rice scientists and engineers at Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice) sees to it that the appropriate scientific research, technical assistance and innovation is given proper attention to ensure high productivity given the direct link with our rice farmers.
Intensive research and technology have given rise to several breakthroughs such as the development of good quality rice seeds or hybrid rice. These seeds are more expensive but produce a higher harvest yield and better product quality compared to ordinary (inbred) seed varieties. Since the hybrid seeds are more expensive to purchase, the traditional method of planting by sowing the seeds to the rice fields (broadcasting) may no longer be the best way to plant.
Philrice and local plastic manufacturer Inca Plastics (www.inca.com.ph) have developed an innovative plastic product to ensure a more efficient method of planting the rice seeds. The use of a portable plastic drum seeder leads to a better crop management and higher harvest yield. Immediate savings is realized on the quantity of seeds planted with the drum seeder.
Actual field uses show a direct savings of at least 120 kgs. seeds per hectare. Another immediate benefit is the increase in harvest yield by 10 percent due to the proper distribution of planting seeds caused by better plant spacing for maximum use of sunlight and soil nutrients.
This plastic drum seeder applies the straight row seeding and controlled seeding rates from perforations along the circumference of the plastic drum.
Cost of labor for seeding and planting is also reduced since only a single farmer-operator is required to plant rice for several hectares of farm land.
Moreover, the drum seeder is lightweight, simple to assemble and will last for many planting seasons.