The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday said it is looking to utilize drone technology to help farmers in planting play (unhusked rice) for the wet season.
In an interview, DA Undersecretary for Rice Industry Development Christopher Morales said it may increase efficiency in dispersing seeds, fertilizers, and other farm inputs using a farm layout mapping.
“You can select, set yung rate ng (the rate of) spacing, and it can minimize yung wastage ng mga nagamit (the wastage of used) [farm inputs],” he said.
Morales said the drone technology can even reduce the seeding duration from hours to five minutes per hectare, as well as the length of cropping days.
“Kung ipupunla ko pa, ita-transplant mo pa (If I will do a seedling and transplanting first), it will take 10 days or so. Pero kung direct seeding, naka-ready na iyong plot mo, kapag gamit ng drone diretso na siya, magsho-shorten iyong (But if it’s direct seedling, with your plot readied, you will shorten the) number of days,” he said.
The DA plans to distribute the drone technology to farmers included in registered farmer’s cooperatives and clustered farms.
Youth farmers challenge
The DA, meanwhile, awarded young farmers for their innovative generation of new products, services, and organizational development, among others, for the Youth Farmers Challenge (YFC) last June 6.
Around PHP6.1 million cash grants were awarded to 12 national awardees of YFC Start-Up Component worth PHP300,000 each; as well as PHP500,000 to each of the five winning enterprises.
Among the awardees include young farmers aged 18 to 30 years.
These include young farmers behind the Kilusang Wais sa Agrikultura at Kaalaman Kasama ang mga Katutubo (KWAKTUTUBO), Andrea’s Quail Farm & Hatchery, SirJuan Agriventure: New Generation’s Philippine Native Chicken Raising, Wagling Cattle Enterprise, EcoGrow Agritek, Clawseth Aquafarm, MagRice App, Coco Chill Processing, Pilipinya Agercolo Leaf Fiber, Calabaza Deli, Qfarmercegen Eco Farm, Sikwate Tea Hub; as well as Sanagi Agriculture Farm, HealthyBite Food Processing and Preserving by Reynro Herrera, Increasing Specialty Coffee Production: Quality in Our Locality, Rancho Velasco Agricultural Farm, and Prince Cacao Products Manufacturing. (PNA)