DA 7 promotes use of certified seeds to hike rice production amid La Niña threat
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, February 22 (PIA) -- Agriculture officials in the region are now promoting the use of certified seeds to farmers in order to yield quality harvest amid the threats of La Niña and climate change.
Angel Enriquez, regional technical director of the Department of Agriculture (DA) 7 said the quality seeds are more flood-tolerant so farmers need not worry much about extreme bad weather conditions brought about by climate change. More so now that frequent rains are being experienced due to La Niña, she added.
“The use of quality seeds really makes a difference in terms of high production output. This is why we are now promoting the use of these certified seeds in order to help our farmers increase their rice harvest and at the same time increase their income,” Enriquez said.
Enriquez led the pack of DA 7 officials as main panelists during the PIA Kapihan this morning that tackled on the agency’s Agricultural Roadmap in Response to Increasing Demand and Climate Change.
Under the DA’s blueprint or agricultural roadmap from 2011-2016, four major components are given due priority namely rice, corn, livestock and high value crops.
The rice program of the roadmap aims to increase the rice production in Central Visayas from 270,499 metric tons in 2011 to 392,806 metric tons by 2016 through the use of certified seeds.
At present, the rice sufficiency level of the region stands at 25 percent which the DA 7 under the roadmap aims to increase by 29 percent by the end of the year, according to Jorge Paculba, DA 7 chief of the crops division.
In order to achieve the 29 percent sufficiency level by yearend, the region needs to increase its rice production to 313, 778 metric tons.
In order to achieve its increased rice target production, the DA 7 is implementing the community-based-seed-banking scheme. The scheme sees the distribution of quality or certified seeds to farmers’ associations and irrigators associations, this is said.
“For two kilos of registered seeds given to a farmer, this can produce around five bags of quality seeds which should be shared among the other members of the same association,” Enriquez said.
Enriquez however, said the harvest time for the registered seeds to yield more quality seeds is about four months.
DA 7 Regional Rice Coordinator Fabio Enriquez on the other hand, said that under the scheme, the DA 7 provides at least 20 kilos of certified seeds to one association which can yield about 80 to 100 bags of certified seeds which could be shared with other members of the group.
Since the scheme was implemented last year, the DA7 was able to distribute around 861 bags in Central Visayas of which 234 bags were given to Cebu. (PIA-Cebu)
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DSWD-7 continues to reach out quake victims in mountainous areas
By Hazel F. GloriaWednesday
CEBU CITY, February 22 (PIA) --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) in Central Visayas continues to distribute relief goods to the earthquake victims in Negros Oriental.
In a press release, the DSWD-7 workers deployed in the quake-hit towns of the 1stdistrict of Negros Oriental deliver goods in places that could not be reached by military/dump trucks due to critical conditions such as possible landslides, broken roads, rivers and security threats.
With each threat is the urgent need to give immediate relief especially to those families that lost their homes, livelihood and love ones and currently rely on evacuation centers for temporary relief and shelter, DSWD-7 said.
Approximately 1,863 food packs are scheduled to be delivered to the mountain barangays of Linantuyan, Hinakpan, Plagatasanon and Balwage, all in Guihulngan beginning February 17 and over the weekend, said DSWD-7 information officer Jaybee Binghay said
Of the 33 barangays in Guihulngan, more than half had been reached by the Local Social Welfare and Services Office with their relief goods.
These consist of food packs, water, tents, sleeping mats, cooking utensils and clothing.
As DSWD continues with its work on giving relief goods, it has also started outlining strategies on setting up and managing evacuation centers as they get ready to initiate debriefing the affected families. (mbcn/hfg/PIA-7 & DSWD-7)
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DENR-7 has new director on wildlife and management services
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, February 22 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) in Central Visayas has a new regional technical director (RTD) for protected area, wildlife conservation zone and management services (PAWCZMS).
This developed after DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations Atty. Ernesto Adobo, Jr. issued Special Order Number 2012-59 on January 20, 2012 designating Mr. Al Orolfo as OIC-RTD for PAWCZMS.
Orolfo replaced RTD Ruth Tawantawan who is now reassigned as Regional Director of the Environmental Management Bureau-11 in Davao City.
Earlier, RTD Tawantawan was designated as RTD for PAWCZMS on February 2011, replacing RTD Dioscoro Melana.
DENR-7 regional executive director Maximo Dichoso said the reassignment of key officials is part of the continuing organizational development instituted by DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje to pursue its various flagship or priority programs and projects on environmental protection and management.
Orolfo is a holder of a doctorate degree of Philosophy (PhD) in Human Resources Management as a DENR scholar at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) where he graduated summa cum laude in 2011.
He earned his BS Agriculture major in Agroforestry in Bicol University, College of Agriculture and Forestry in 1989.
PAWCZMS is one of the services of DENR-7 tasked to the development and updating of protected area management plan, delineation and demarcation of boundaries and management zones, rehabilitation, restoration, and resource protection.
It is also mandated for eco-tourism development and Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) operation, biodiversity monitoring, and issuance of tenurial instruments.
On the other hand, it also supervises and oversees nature conservation and extension, biodiversity conservation program which includes cave resources, wildlife conservation and protection, wetland and tarsier conservation project.
Dichoso led the turnover ceremony during a flag raising ceremony on February 6, 2012 with other DENR-7 key officials. (mbcn/hfg/PIA7 & DENR-7)