Fraye Cedrick Anona

ILOILO CITY — The Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas is scaling up hybrid rice production through model farm clusters in Antique and Iloilo, targeting yields of 6.5 to 8 metric tons per hectare (MT/ha) during the 2026 wet cropping season.

The initiative is being implemented under the Scalable Hybrid Rice Model Farm Establishment Project, which aims to demonstrate improved rice production technologies and encourage more farmers to adopt hybrid rice cultivation.

DA Field Operations chief and Rice Program focal person Ryan Rasgo said the project covers five municipalities each in Antique and Iloilo, with every participating municipality establishing a 50-hectare model farm cluster in fully irrigated rice areas with adequate drainage.

The Antique sites are in Culasi, Hamtic, Patnongon, San Jose and Sibalom, while Iloilo sites are in Ajuy, Concepcion, Igbaras, Pavia and Zarraga.

Each cluster will use one to two NSIC-registered hybrid rice varieties suited to local conditions. Farmers will also receive training in the PalayCheck System, Adaptive Balanced Fertilization Strategy, laboratory-based soil analysis and Integrated Pest Management.

The project incorporates smart agriculture technologies, including soil testing, georeferencing, climate-smart mapping, and climate-support machinery and equipment.

“We identified the participating rice clusters with a minimum area of 100 hectares, with farmer-members registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture,” Rasgo said.

1,000-hectare target

The DA will assist farmers through harvesting and post-harvest activities. Harvested palay will be dried through Rice Processing Systems operated in partnership with qualified farmer organizations before being sold to the National Food Authority or private buyers under pre-arranged marketing agreements.

Each participating municipality will establish a 50-hectare model farm per cropping season. For 2026-2027, the project targets 1,000 hectares across Western Visayas — 500 hectares during the wet season and another 500 hectares during the dry season.

The cluster approach will generate production data from larger areas, allowing farmers and agricultural technicians to assess hybrid rice technologies under local conditions.

Through the model farms, the DA seeks to demonstrate how improved varieties, science-based crop management, smart farming and stronger post-harvest and market linkages can boost rice productivity in the region.

Published Date: August 24, 2026