Location Specific Technology Development with promotion of Palayamanan system in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) [Philippines]

Productivity of many rice farmers remains low because of the declining profitability of growing monocrop rice. With the increasing costs of labor, inputs and yields of rice reaching a plateau, the income of farmers has decreased tremendously. PhilRice [Philippine Rice Research Inst. Isabela, Philippines] has embarked on promoting highly diversified and well integrated farming systems called Palayamanan. The system is composed of well-integrated components that maximize use of farm resources. Modern available technology components are integrated with rice and other high value crops, fish, poultry, livestock and fruit trees. The Palayamanan have inter-related activities focused on developing and promoting location-specific rice-based farming systems technologies. These activities are 1) capacity enhancement of farmers and extension workers 2) establishment of technology demonstration farms where farmers put into use the technologies they learned, and 3) information and communication support which includes the setting-up of farmers' learning centers. The approach emphasizes on the active participation of farmers as partners in the adaptation and fine-tuning of integrated farming systems to make it location-specific and suit their needs. There were 5 Palayaman sites established in this WS [wet season] 2012 which include Tabuk Kalinga, Bananao and Marat in Paracelis, Mt. Province, Sabdang, Benguet and in Kiangan, Ifugao. A total of 137 farmers participated in the project through the Palayamanan Field Schools. They have proven that income and productivity and increased through the system. However, there are few farmers who have not embraced IFS as a farming strategy maybe because of weak efforts to promote the system. There is therefore a need to promote diversified and integrated farming systems to generate higher income and to achieve a meaningful impact in terms of increased income and productivity. This 3-year project was funded by the DA-CAR [Department of Agriculture - Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines] to develop and promote the system in the region.