
DARAGA, Albay — Twenty five (25) rice cluster members from the municipalities of Ligao, Polangui, Daraga, Malinao and Tiwi completed the Training on Harvest and Postharvest Handling of Rice held on June 2-6, 2025 at Casa Loranzo, Daraga, Albay.
The training was started with the Opening Program. Mr. Christian T.R. Tosoc, Media Production Specialist II/Project Officer, discussed the overview. He emphasized that the training aimed to: explain the impacts of climate change on rice production; discuss the agricultural mechanization and postharvest situation in the Philippines; explain the importance of proper harvest and postharvest of rice; explain the rice harvesting system; explain the principles of milling and drying processing; identify the storage pest and its management; and discuss the rice harvest and postharvest by-products utilization. Meanwhile, Ms. Icel Adornado, Technical Support Staff, facilitated the, house rules, pre-test and the process of surfacing expectations.
ATI Bicol Center Director Elsa A. Parot conveyed her sincere appreciation for the participants' dedication in attending the 5-day training and their willingness to learn. She also emphasized the importance of the training in equipping the rice cluster farmers with knowledge and skills on harvest and postharvest management of rice to minimize losses and improve overall profitability.
On the first day, KAT Farm Owner Rosalinda Belodo and Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 5 (DA-RFO 5) Regional Agricultural Engineering Division Engr. Herbert Villaseñor, Jr. served as Resource Persons. They discussed series of lectures on Climate Change in Agriculture, Impacts of Climate Change in Rice Production, Climate Change Adaptation Technologies/Strategies and DA's Rice Mechanization Program.
Ms. Cristine Cordenete, Agricultural Technologist of Albay Provincial Agriculture Office (APAO), tackled Lesson III: Introduction to Harvest and Postharvest Handling of Rice with the subtopics: Importance of Proper Harvest and Postharvest Practices; Palaycheck Keycheck 8- Harvested the Crop at the Right Time, and; Palaycheck Keycheck 9- Cleaned, Dried and Stored the Grains Properly.
With the indicators for proper harvesting laid down, the discussion segued to Lesson IV: Rice Harvesting with the subtopics: Harvesting System; Harvesting Operations and Machineries; Harvesting Cost, and; Guidelines on Proper Harvesting. These were expounded by Engr. Jose Galen B. Nuyda, Agriculturist II of APAO.
Storage Principles with subtopics: Storage System; Moisture Content for Safe Storage; Measuring Moisture Content were discussed by Mr. Marlon U. Mateum, National Food Authority - Regional Office V Acting Assistant Branch Manager.
Meanwhile, Milling and Drying Processing with subtopics: Principles of Milling and Milling System; Milling and Quality; Producing Good Quality Milled Rice, and; Principles of Drying and Drying System were tackled by Engr. Ronald R. Saulon, Engineer III of APAO and Chief of the Albay Research Station in Ligao City.


On the 4th day of the training, the participants accompanied by the Training Management Team had field visits to Legazpi GID Warehouse of National Food Authority - Regional Office 5 (NFA-RO5) in Legazpi City, Albay and PhilRice Bicol in Ligao City.
Moreover, Lesson VII: Handling and Utilization of Harvest and Postharvest By-Products was explained by resource persons from DA-RFO particularly Ms. Tara Christina Machica of the Research Division who discussed subtopic, By-Products and their Utilization.
The participants prepared, presented and submitted a total of six (6) re-entry plans (1 re-entry plan per cluster). It is expected for the participants to cascade and share their learnings to their fellow farmers in their respective communities. They will be monitored by the training management team 6 months after the completion of the course.