Impact of Farmer Field School-Palaycheck sup R in the irrigated rice areas in the Philippines

The Farmer Field School-PalayCheck sup R (FFSP) is a knowledge and learning-based approach that aims to improve yield and income of farmers through the adoption of PalayCheck sup R platform, a dynamic rice crop management system that presents the best key technology and management practices as key checks. It was implemented in 2010 by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in support to the 100% rice self-sufficiency target of the government. The FFSP was operationalized through the deployment of Rice Self-Sufficiency Officers (RSOs) in 24 provinces with yields below 4 t/ha in irrigated areas. This study assessed the impacts of the FFSP using the 2009 two season baseline and 2010 seasonal monitoring survey data. Impacts of the project were measured using descriptive statistics, costs and returns analysis, and frontier production function adopting the before and after project evaluation approach. Results showed positive impacts of the project in 2010 relative to 2009. More farmers adopted different combinations of the 8 key checks with 18% completely adopting, resulting in an improved technology adoption, management practices and technical efficiency scores of farmers. Adoption of key checks increased yield by 9% (0.33 t/ha), and reduced per unit production cost by 2.82% (PhP0.23/kg), which translates to a notable increase in net income by 25% (PhP3,907/ha) and returns to investment by 18%. Total rice areas covered by the project generated an incremental palay output of 3,457 t with 0.022% share to domestic total production in 2010. The FFSP is a good extension approach for capacitating farmers and has the potential to shift the yield from low to high level. The following are recommended to achieve significant impact: enhance TE level of farmers; establish more field demonstrations to facilitate PalayCheck sup R dissemination and diffusion; expansion of areas to cover more farmers; and periodic monitoring and feedback for its sustainability and improve implementation.