THE rice farmers in one of the towns of Zamboanga del Norte were encouraged to enroll in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture to be able to avail of government services.

Evelyn Academia, rice action officer of the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Zamboanga Peninsula, made the encouragement during the Rice Information Caravan they conducted Friday, April 22, in Leon Postigo town.

Academia told the farmers during the caravan that they can fully avail themselves of the programs and services of the DA once they are enrolled in the registry system.

The RSBSA is a registry of farmers, fisherfolk and farm laborers that serves as a targeting mechanism for the identification of beneficiaries for different agriculture-related programs and services of the government.

The DA-Soils Laboratory also raised awareness of the importance to conduct testing to know the nutritional balance of the soil and to save energy and money on chemical fertilizer application.

The Regional Crop Protection Center also told the participants to regularly monitor the field, practice integrated pest management and minimize the application of chemical fertilizer.

Among the partner agencies present during the Rice Information Caravan to provide updates were the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation and the National Food Authority. (SunStar Zamboanga)