Farmers, also considered as our modern day heroes, toil tirelessly to add to the country's food security. (PIA-NCR file photo)
The Philippines in 2021 recorded 4.81 million hectares of area harvested for rice and a total production of 19.96 million metric tons, with the value of P403.89 billion, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). However, even with this level of rice production in the country, rice is still the 3rd most imported agricultural commodity of the country.
Agriculture, under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., is an important pillar of economic transformation in the same way as the achievement of a food-secure and rice self-sufficient future for Filipinos lies in the productivity of this sector.
One of the key efforts of the national government to make sustainable agricultural development a reality include the adoption of modern technologies in the food production sector.
Modernizing agriculture is mainly geared towards boosting labor productivity and industry profitability while increasing the income security of local producers through the use of smart farming methods.
The formulation of the ‘PalayCheck’ farm management smartphone application is the direct outcome of this initiative.
(Screengrab from PhilRice)
What is the ‘PalayCheck’ App?
As the name suggests, the PalayCheck application is designed to help local rice farmers gain insight into the effectiveness and efficiency of their daily farming operations.
The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) launched this project under the SMART (Scaling Modern and Adaptive Rice Technologies toward Prosperous Farming Communities) Farm Program to empower the agriculture sector by providing them with the necessary tools to make informed decisions about rice crop management.
It integrates comprehensive resources on best farming practices such as the PalayCheck System which contains strategies that are anchored on research and shared experiences of other farmers.
What are the key features of the PalayCheck App?
Farming is a labor intensive industry and the process of growing crops requires more than just the virtue of patience. To achieve precision, there must be a reliable and organized system in place for the convenience of farmers.
This is exactly what the PalayCheck App intends to do.
1. Cropping Season Calendar
Through the application, farmers can create their own unique schedule of farm practices from land preparation, rice seed planting, to actual crop harvesting. The schedule will depend on the chosen rice variety, preferred crop establishment method, and the selected nutrient management approach of the farmer.
The lead developer of the PalayCheck App, Nehemiah L. Caballong, advised farmers to follow the recommended schedule from the beginning to end for optimal efficiency or towards ensuring a successful harvest.
(Screengrab from PhilRice)
2. Crop Management Guidelines
The application also provides important know-hows or recommendations for effective crop management based on the age and maturity of the rice crop. These primarily cover the areas of pest and disease management, efficient water use, and balanced fertilization.
(Screengrab from PhilRice)
3. Income and Expense Tracker
Another helpful feature of the PalayCheck App is its record-keeping function that allows farmers to track their expenses in farming activities throughout the cropping season. This will provide the breakdown of costs and estimated net income, thus enabling farmers to accurately monitor the productivity of their yields and effectiveness of farming practices for future reference.
(Screengrab from PhilRice)
The PalayCheck App can be downloaded from the PhilRice website palaycheckapp.philrice.gov.ph or through the digital application market http://bit.ly/49xls7o.
The existing agri-food system in the country is constantly challenged by the threats to agricultural resilience. As the sector becomes modernized, Filipino farmers can further increase their competitiveness to thrive in the changing landscape of food production.
Even more so, the integration of modern tools in agricultural practices can encourage the young generation to view agriculture not only as a viable business venture but also a sustainable career path and eventually become the future farm leaders. (JMP/PIA-NCR)
