TABUK, Kalinga- To underscore the warm acceptance of farmers in the province of the hybrid rice program of the government, 163 farmers and local government agricultural workers from the municipalities of Tabuk, Pinukpok and Rizal graduated from the University Without Walls, a season-long training in the production of hybrid rice seeds particularly the F1, recently.

The batch, which was the third since the program was introduced in Kalinga in 2001, includes four engineers, one female nurse and one person with disability.

The prospect of replicating the success of the pioneer F1 hybrid seed producers many of whom quadrupled their income from their farms was the foremost inducement for the new batch of aspiring AxR (parent seeds of F1) planters to attend the training.

Fidel Ramos, a namesake of former president Ramos and Philrice field technician in charge of Kalinga, said that as proof of the depth of their interest, this batch took care of their food during training days unlike in the past when the Philrice, the agency on top of the hybrid rice program of the government, provided the food.

Miguel Omengan, who at 78, is the oldest trainee, calls himself a repeater because he joined the first two trainings but failed to graduate due to his inability to attend all the sessions.

"I have to graduate because although I already learned the technology from the first two training sessions, I cannot sell my produce to the Philrice because the agency does not deal with farmers who do not have certificates," Omenga said.

The Philrice is the sole buyer of F1 seeds.

Ramos informed that all the production of the F1 seed producers in Kalinga will be accommodated this coming season because some 700 hectares have been budgeted for by Philrice.

This area represents a seven-fold increase from the area planted during the last dry cropping.

Regarding the performance of farmers who planted AxR this wet season, Ramos said that contrary to the fears of some members of the Kalinga Hybrid Rice Growers Cooperative, the cooperative formed by the first two batches of trainees, they all profited.

"One farmer even produced 1,600 kilos of F1 from his one hectare farm. The rest beat the 500-kilo mark which is norm during the rainy season when it is risky to plant AxR," Ramos told the Manila Bulletin.
According to Ramos, what compels farmers to plant during the wet season despite the risks is the guideline that those who do so are treated as priorities by Philrice during the dry cropping.

During last year's dry cropping, Kalinga's AxR farmers averaged 900 kilos per hectare which is the second highest in the land.

In his speech during the graduation rites Governor Macario Duguiang called upon the agriculture officials present to remind Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo to fulfil the commitment he made during his visit on the occasion of the province's 8th Foundation Day February 14 to give some postharvest facilities to Kalinga farmers.

Lorenzo at the time declared that Kalinga is the top hybrid rice producer in the country.

Dugulang also appealed to the Department of Agriculture for more support to the hybrid rice program in terms of facilities such as a refrigerated warehouse to protect the germination quality of F1 seeds and also a seed quality testing center.