FUSE chief
urges farmers to keep pace with latest rice technology
MUÑOZ City, Nueva Ecija—Former agriculture
secretary Salvador Escudero III exhorted farmers to keep pace
with the latest technology in rice production as the
government carries out research and development projects to
make the country self-sufficient in rice.
"Good irrigation system, sustainable technologies for
increased production and industriousness, these are the factors that would
ultimately end years of rice importation," Escudero told over 1,000 farmers,
rice scientists and R&D workers who recently attended the Philippine Rice
Research Institute’s 20th National
Rice Research and Development Conference here.
The former agriculture secretary said at least 10,000 farmers
in Nueva Ecija would benefit when the P7-billion Casecnan multipurpose
irrigation and power project is completed. The project can irrigate 26,920
hectares of new farmland in Munoz, Talugtog, Guimba, Cuyapo and Nampician.
Escudero, now the president of the Foundation for Upgrading
the Standard of Education, was credited for the rehabilitation of irrigation and
drainage facilities in Central Luzon while serving as agriculture secretary in
the Marcos and Ramos governments. This achievement translated into 1.2 million
hectares of irrigated farmlands.
"With ample supply of water and a modern irrigation system
like the Casecnan dam," Escudero said, "planting rice would be highly productive
and greatly beneficial to the country’s farmers."
As head of FUSE, Escudero, citing the importance of agriculture in
strengthening the economy, encouraged students to pursue college studies in
agriculture. He also urged farmer-participants in the conference to avail
themselves of the best production technologies and hybrid seeds which produce
the highest yield per hectare.
