MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared 2013 as ‘National Year of Rice’ or NYR and has directed the Department of Agriculture to lead its celebration as per Proclamation No. 494, signed on Oct. 18, 2012.
The NYR proclamation aims to intensify efforts of the Aquino government, through the DA, to attain rice self-sufficiency by 2013.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said the proclamation would reinforce current efforts of the agency in partnership with farmers’ groups, local government units and the private sector to provide needed infrastructure, technical, marketing and institutional support to successfully attain rice sufficiency by 2013, and at the same time start exporting fancy and upland rice varieties.
Alcala said the DA family – particularly through the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the DA National Rice Program – would continue with initiatives to boost farmers’ morale and motivate them to adopt modern and sustainable technologies to improve their farm productivity and income, and encourage the general public to be responsible rice consumers.
As part of the NYR – with the theme, ‘Sapat na Bigas, Kaya ng Pinas’ – the DA and PhilRice is undertaking a nationwide information campaign and social marketing to enjoin farmers, other rice industry stakeholders, consumers and policy-makers to help attain national rice sufficiency.
Proclamation 494 also affirms the month of November of every year as a ‘National Rice Awareness Month,’ pursuant to a previous proclamation issued in 2004.
PhilRice executive director Eufemio Rasco, Jr. said the agency has kicked off the month-long celebration, coinciding with their 27th anniversary celebration – with the theme, ‘Sapat na Bigas, Kaya ng Pinas’ – last Nov. 5 at the PhilRice headquarters in Muñoz City, Nueva Ecija.