Pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation No. 524, s. 2004 and Proclamation No. 1030 s. 2015 declaring the month of November as the National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM) and National Organic Agriculture Month (NOAM), respectively, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) MIMAROPA conducted a joint kickoff activity of NRAM and NOAM on November 7, 2022 at ATI, Barcenaga, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro and via Facebook live.
The said celebrations are annually held to heighten public awareness on rice to address issues related to malnutrition and poverty, and attainment of self-sufficiency as well as balancing agricultural productivity with sustainable environmental conservation and principles that promote health, protection of farmers, consumers and the general public.
Moreover, it is also a way to acknowledge the efforts of the local farmers by upholding its mission to provide safe and healthy food for the whole nation.
Center Director Pat Andrew B. Barrientos said that as the vanguard agency in Agriculture and Fisheries extension service delivery in the region, ATI MIMAROPA ensures to promote and transfer appropriate and innovative technologies to our stakeholders that would boost agricultural development and competitive farmers and fisherfolk.
Likewise, he also encouraged the public in all sectors to be RICEponsible and do their part to address rice-related issues by not wasting rice, eating brown rice, mixing rice with other healthy staples, and supporting local rice farmers by buying and consuming local produce as well as to be guided by the sustainable and innovative technologies which upholds health, fairness, care, and ecological integrity.
“Every one of us has a big role to partake. Every effort counts. Kaya sama-sama po nating sundin ang ABKD (A – Adlay, mais, saba at iba pa ay ihalo sa kanin; B – Brown rice ay kainin; K – Kanin ay huwag sayangin; D – Dapat bigas ng Pilipinas ang bilhin)."
Highlight of the kickoff via Facebook live was the presentation of the line-up activities for the month-long celebration of NRAM and NOAM. Amongst are the Rice Cooking Vlog, Webinar on Rice and Balance Fertilization Strategy in NRAM, while in Organic Agriculture are AgriTalk in Black Soldier Fly and Organic Hog Production.
In addition, the staff also recited the Pledge of RICEponsible which urged them to be RICEponsible citizen in their own little way. Further, to increase the awareness of the ATI staff in rice and organic agriculture in a fun way, an Amazing Race game which consisted of quiz bee, relay game, rice counting and identification of concoction were played by the staff.
For 2022, NRAM’s theme is “Be RICEponsible”, which primarily seeks to raise consciousness among Filipinos on how to consume rice, the healthy way. On the other hand, the National Organic Agriculture Month’s theme, “Maunlad na Pagsasaka, Garantisado sa Organikong Agrikulturang Sinaliksik” serves as an avenue to intensify the region’s advocacy on organic agriculture programs and technologies.
