Tagbilaran City, Bohol— The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) – Region VII took a significant step in its efforts to support local farmers and vulnerable sectors by launching the "Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice @P29" initiative today, September 13, 2024, at the NIA-R7 Covered Court, Dao, Tagbilaran City.
This event is part of NIA’s Farming Support Program (Contract Farming), which equips farmers with essential resources to maximize land use and improve rice production. The program, designed to provide farmers with seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and cash assistance all worth P50,000 per hectare, aims to boost rice yields and lower the cost of rice for consumers. While it is not yet harvest season in Region VII, NIA Region 13 lent 1,000 bags of rice (10 kilos per bag) to kickstart the initiative.
Due to the limited stocks, the rice distribution for now is focused exclusively on Tagbilaran City, where 1,000 vulnerable individuals—PWDs, senior citizens, and single parents—have been selected to purchase rice at the special rate of Php 29 per kilo. Each barangay is represented by up to 66 individuals, with strict guidelines allowing only one bag per household.
NIA Region VII has announced that a Grand Launching of the BBM Rice program, with a larger stock of rice, will take place during the upcoming harvest season of the farmer contractees in the region. This will ensure that more communities across Bohol and Central Visayas can benefit from the program, making rice even more affordable for the public.
The "BBM Rice @P29" initiative exemplifies NIA’s continued commitment to supporting both farmers and vulnerable sectors, helping address food security challenges in the region.