THE Department of Agriculture (DA) yesterday assured farmers that support mechanisms will be provided to them once they shift to rice planting calendar to increase yield and achieve its goal of rice self-sufficiency by next year.

DA Assistant Secretary Dante Delima made the assurance even as he announced that farmers being served by two major irrigation systems in Northern and Central Luzon are ready to adjust their rice cropping schedules to veer away from typhoon-prone months and ensure rice production in the country’s top-rice producing provinces.

“We will provide support systems using all available resources, manpower, researches, and inputs to support the initiative to advance the rice planting calendar,” said Delima, who is also the National Rice Program coordinator.

He said possible interventions include trainings for technology transfer, insurance coverage, post-harvest facilities, marketing support, and an incentive system involving irrigation service fees are being considered to support the early cropping shift.

Delima added that the National Rice Program is calling for a national consultation towards the end of this month to study the effects of the early cropping system in all national and communal systems and concerned sectors insofar as increasing rice yield and raising incomes for the farmers.

Earlier, DA Secretary Proceso Alcala announced that the DA is encouraging farmers covered by national irrigation systems to plant rice early to avoid the typhoon-prone months of September and October and minimize damage to farm output. Cory Martinez