THE Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech)- Visayas met with the Provincial Government of Bohol, through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), for a courtesy call on May 19, 2023.
OPA’s department head Liza Quirog welcomed PHilMech-Visayas’ Assistant Cluster head and Science Research Analyst Everdell Asilo, who are both in Bohol to conduct a week-long skill enhancement and rice machine-operating seminar from May 15 to 19, 2023, for local rice farmers who were beneficiaries of the Department of Agriculture’s Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Mechanization Program and the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF).
Asilo, one of the guests, said this activity aimed to train beneficiaries on the proper use of the rice machinery distributed by PHilMech last February 2023 and make Bohol’s local rice industry competitive, creating more income for rice farmers in the Province. During the week-long activity, PHilMech hosted a hands-on training for farmers’ association members in Brgy. Candumayao, Catigbian. The agency also conducted field research on the impact of machinery in rice farming, in which they will share the study’s results with OPA once it concludes.
Since 2019, the OPA, in collaboration with LGUs, has been assisting PHilMech in identifying beneficiaries and succoring logistics for their projects. Quirog said that PGBh, through OPA, will continue its partnership with PHilMech in its efforts to modernize rice production and boost agricultural activity in the Province. (PiMO/GMC)
