The DAPITSAKA Project takes its name from dapitay sa kaumhan, which in the local Ilonggo dialect means “holding on together for the farm.” The project, which started on only 2.4 hectares in three municipalities in 2000, has grown to 500 hectares in 19 municipalities across Iloilo. Leading the project is the provincial government, through the Research and Institutional Development Division of the Provincial Agriculturist’s Office, which works in collaboration with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and other local partners. Lending support are researchers from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

One of the project’s key activities is the testing by farmers of new tungro-resistant rice lines. After three cropping seasons, participating farmers’ yields have increased from an average of 3.7 tons per hectare to 4.6 tons per hectare.

As a result of this success, the number of cooperating farmers has grown from the original four to more than 300. During a review and planning workshop held in Iloilo on 8 March, DAPITSAKA Project Deputy Coordinator Elias Sandig pointed out that farmers gave their support because they could see that the project provided a broad choice of new options that addressed their immediate needs.

The project was launched after rice tungro disease devastated thousands of hectares of standing crops in Iloilo in 1999. Marcelino Juanico, a cooperating farmer from Barangay Capinang, San Dionisio, said one of the new rice lines he was working on (IR69726-116-1-3 or DAPITSAKA 3) performed particularly well when grown in problem soils.

“I’ve found that this rice line is tolerant to iron toxicity,” Mr. Juanico explained, adding that he planned to continue planting the variety because of its high yield. “I’ve been getting about 80 cavans [4 tons] per hectare from this variety, and this has encouraged me to start sharing it with my neighbors.”

Cooperating farmers report the various tungro-resistant lines they have planted as part of the project have shown a range of favorable characteristics, including high yield, resistance to stem borers, tolerance to iron toxicity, high milling recovery, and good eating quality. Other favorable traits displayed by some tungro-resistant lines include increased tillering (or branching), good ratooning ability (producing grain-filled tillers after the main harvest), and early maturation (the better to avoid late-season droughts and/or allowing more frequent cropping).

Domingo Bonifacio, a cooperating farmer from Barangay Progreso, Ajuy, said that he was looking for varieties that were high yielding, resistant to various pests and diseases, and had good eating quality. He added that he understood that no single new line would display all these traits.

“Because you can’t have everything,” he said, “I would prefer a rice crop that is resistant to pests and diseases over one that is high yielding but susceptible to diseases.” Mr. Bonifacio added that the progress achieved so far encouraged him to continue to plant the tungro-resistant lines, to further assess their performance.

After meeting with some of the cooperating farmers, IRRI Deputy Director General for Research Ren Wang stressed that the institute was very keen to work with more partners as it does in Iloilo—developing, together with farmers, better site-specific technologies. “Apart from the important role of the rice growers, what is also very impressive in Iloilo is the strong commitment and support of the provincial government,” said Dr. Wang, citing in particular strong support from Governor Neil Tupas, Jr.

As part of the DAPITSAKA project, 52 provincial extension workers have received training on the management of rice tungro disease, improved rat control measures, and better management of adverse soils such as those with high iron toxicity. Hundreds of farmers have attended several field days, where they learned about the new varieties being developed and considered how they would like to see the project develop over the next three years.

Iloilo and IRRI have a long history of fruitful collaboration, dating from 1980, when the province was the site of the institute’s Cropping Systems Outreach Program. IRRI also provided technical assistance when Iloilo implemented its World Bank-funded KABSAKA (Bounty in the Farm) Project. Today, Iloilo is the main testing area for screening IRRI lines that show promise in adverse soils.

IRRI is the world’s leading international rice research and training center. Based in the Philippines and with offices in 11 other countries, it is an autonomous, nonprofit institution focused on improving the well-being of present and future generations of rice farmers and consumers, particularly those with low incomes, while preserving natural resources. IRRI is one of 16 Future Harvest centers funded the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an association of public and private donor agencies.