BACOLOD CITY –– Negros Occidental and Bago City received the 2019 Outstanding Rice Achievers Awards given by Agriculture Secretary William Dar at the Panaad Covered Court in Bacolod City on Tuesday, Dec. 8.
Negros Occidental got the award for having the highest provincial rice yield, and Bago for having led in yield among cities in Western Visayas.
Mirasol Coste and Carlito Incencia received the outstanding agriculture extension worker awards and Lalaine Ganate the outstanding local farmer technician award.
“Today, we recognized the big efforts of the province of Negros Occidental for reaching an average of almost 5 metric tons per hectare, from about 4.2 metric tons, which is a big increase,” Dar said.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Negros Occidental and Western Visayas remained to be among the top palay producers in the country.
“Developing agriculture and uplifting the lives of farmers are among the main thrusts of this administration,” Lacson said.
“We need to be reminded that agriculture is the foundation of our food security, and even the foundation of our survival,” he added.