Palay check system for improving Apayao [Philippines] rice farmers' yield and income

Palay Check or Rice Check is an extension strategy that integrates relevant rice technologies and management options with the farmers' existing knowledge. This is done to improve productivity and profitability in an environment-friendly manner. The concept originated from Australia wherein its application significantly increased rice yield from 6 t/ha to 10 t/ha in a span of 10 years. Certain technology recommendations or key checks need to be followed in growing rice and the farmer partners (FPs) are monitored whether these checks are put into practice. Ganotisi et al. (PhilRice Batac) introduced the PalayCheck system to three farmer groups composed of 25 FPs and an assisting technician per group in three barangays [villages] in two municipalities in Apayao, during the 2004 WS [wet season] and 2005 DS [dry season]. The system has two phases; the first is the development of technology recommendations as integrated crop management package. Nine recommended rice cultural management practices were included in the Palay Check system, namely: use of certified seeds; land preparation with no high and low spots or mounds of soil after final levelling; crop establishment of 20-22 hills/sq m; nutrient management (NM) to attain 20-24 tillers/hill; NM to manage nitrogen (N) needs of the crop; NM to manage other nutrient needs, e.g. phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and zinc (Zn); pest management; water management; and harvest management. The second phase employed the farmers groups to help other farmers learn to use the recommendations in a participatory approach had seven checks. Forty percent of the farmers adopted eight checks and 20 percent had seven checks. Forty percent of the farmers adopted less than six checks. Pest management as one key checks was adopted by all the FPs. Certified seeds were adopted by 56 percent while the others used either good seed or farmer seed. Rice yields generally increased with the increase in number of checks adopted by the farmers. Those who practiced all the nine checks got the highest average yield of 6.20 t/ha compared with 5.57 t/ha and 5.30 t/ha obtained by farmers with eight and seven checks respectively. With less than seven checks, the average yield obtained was less than 5 t/ha. Those with only 3-4 checks got only 3.05-4.33 t/ha on the average. Accordingly, FPs having nine checks generated a gross income of about P65,000/ha through a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) and establishment of demonstration farms where the checks or recommendations were implemented. The series of FGDs were appreciated by the FPs and these brought some changes in their attitude, knowledge and practices. Foremost of these changes were: 1) willingness to use certified or good seeds; 2) incorporation of weeds and plant residues in the soil; 3) appreciation of straight method of planting rather than waray or random planting; and 4) application of appropriate and right amount of fertilizers based on soil analysis results to attain higher yield. All the nine checks or recommendations were adopted by 16 percent of the FPs. Twenty three percent adopted eight checks and 20 percent and those with eight checks got P60,000/ha on the average. Farmers having only three checks obtained only a little more than P30,000/ha. The Palay Check system approach has encouraging initial results. This is continuously being tested to become part of the nationawise extension system for rice by DA as a component of the 'Strengthening the development and use of rice integrated crop management for food security and poverty alleviation project between the government of the Philipines and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) under the FAO technical cooperation program. Regular monitoring and evaluation of the project needs to be carried out to determine program sustainability and quantify its impact not only on the individual farming households but also on the rice farming communities as a whole.