TO FURTHER understand the risk factors for pest outbreaks particularly on rice, the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Davao Region strengthened its capacities through Pest Risk Identification and Management (Prime) training.
Ulysses Duque, Agriculturist II of Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Crop Pest Management Division, said advance monitoring and surveillance on rice field can prevent pest outbreak.
He added that the impact of pests on rice production can be severe and variable.
He also said that extreme weather events and misuse of pesticides contribute a lot to pest issues.
Duque adds that rice farmers loses 37 percent of their crop annually due to pests and it causes significant loses and severe episodic problems.
Dr. Susan Razo, chief of Integrated Laboratory Division (ILD), said an intensified monitoring and surveillance on the field is essential.
Razo urged the DA-Regulatory Division, the office assigned on the monitoring and surveillance to do their best, especially on pest identification and management.
She also suggested creating and establishing a monitoring team from DA with the assistance from local farmer technicians (LFTs).
“We look forward not only labor on the field but also in capacitating oneself,” she adds.
Martinet Roble, chief of the Regulatory Division said he is hopeful that PRIME can be applied not only on rice but to all agri commodities.
Prime is a four-year project funded by DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) and it is in partnership with the following agencies BPI, Philrice, DA-Regional Field Offices and International Rice Research Institute (Irri).
It would develop and improve current methods for generating rice crop parameters, including indicators for crop health and management practices from remotely sensed data.
After four years Prime will be operational and will become a regular activity on all RFOs. (PR)