Over the years, the Department of Agriculture (DA) continued to collaborate with various institutions for research and development.

DA is closely working with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) to implement various research and development (R&D) projects to provide solutions and possible answers on increasing food production and food security.

One of the projects implemented in the field is the Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM). It is an online system that consolidates and presents accurate timely and location-specific information on the status of the rice crop.

“PRISM gives support to strategic decision making to identify the scale and magnitude of production gaps and then plan interventions accordingly. This may also help the targeting of productivity enhancing technologies and programs and a tool for disaster preparedness and rapid response to emergency situations”, said Wilfreda Manos, Chief Research Division.

In Caraga region, the DA-Research Division tapped the Local Government Units of Butuan City and San Francisco, Agusan del Sur in coordination with the rice farmers to become partners of this study. Additional monitoring fields were placed for the Province of Surigao del Sur in the municipalities of Cantilan and Madrid.

PRISM aims to collect and deliver rice crop information in the country, using data from the satellites, crop models, smart phone based surveys, statistics, and maps to deliver actionable information on rice crop seasonality, area, yield, and yield reducing factors.

“The project has twenty monitoring fields for rainfed and also twenty monitoring fields for irrigated ecosystem distributed to Butuan City, and Municipality of San Francisco. Monitoring field serves as the key areas for data gathering on yield, fertilizer and pesticide used by the farmers is included and crop health assessments. These data are collected and then sent to a secure centralized database. After verification this will be integrated into the information system”, said Richard Tabudlong, Senior Science Research Specialist and PRISM Focal Person.

Capacity building for LGU partners has been conducted to maintain and manage PRISM and to train others to do the same. Research Division holds seminar and consultations with stakeholders to inform them well about the project.

Based on PRISM estimates of rice areas by province as of second semester of 2015 a total of 27 municipalities from Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur were covered in which 21,921 hectares were included in the information system. Incidences of major pest injuries were also identified.

Aside from the collection and delivery of rice crop information in the region PRISM also aims to strengthen the capacity of the Department to collect, understand, and use the information provided for decision-making to achieve food security. (Rhea C. Abao – DA Caraga, Information Section)