ON OCTOBER 4, 2024, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Davao del Norte Irrigation Management Office offered a total of 1,400 bags of rice, each weighing ten kilograms, for sale at P29 per kilogram during the “Kadiwa ng Pangulo sa NIA” event organized by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Hundreds of residents from various municipalities and barangays in Davao del Norte took advantage of this nationwide sale, which featured the lowest-priced rice under the “Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka Rice” program. This initiative is part of NIA's Rice Contract Farming program, which provides farmers with P50,000 in agricultural inputs, including seeds, fertilizers, and other essential materials. Additionally, the government supports post-harvest activities such as harvesting, drying, and milling. Farmers can earn an extra P50,000 per hectare if they achieve a yield of 5 tons per hectare.
The NIA prioritized consumers from disadvantaged groups, including senior citizens, people with disabilities (PWDs), Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) participants, and single parents.
Currently, the Irrigation Management Office (IMO) has signed contracts with two Irrigators Associations (IA) managing 32 hectares of rice farms in Barangays Gabuyan and Maniki, Kapalong, Davao del Norte. The office is actively working towards enrolling 250 hectares in the Rice Contract Farming program.
For context, the NIA-Davao Region participated in the simultaneous nationwide launch of Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka Rice on September 13, 2024.
This Contract Farming project, along with the availability of rice at P29 per kilogram, is part of the agency's response to the President's call for high-quality, low-cost rice, aimed at improving the livelihoods of farmers and the community. DEF