Department of Agriculture (DA) Region IV CALABARZON Regional Seed Coordinator Ma. Annie S. Bucu and Rice Program Agricultural Technician II Erickson M. Sagun said that the validation is needed to assess if the model farm nominees would suit the qualifications required for subsidies to be afforded by the project. If ever qualified, the farmers will receive a bag of hybrid seeds (15 kg for private hybrid or 18 kg for public hybrid) per hectare with four bags of complete fertilizer and urea; and a bag of inbred seeds (40 kg) with two bags of urea, and two bags of complete fertilizer. Muriate of Potash (MOP) will also be given as required by the Rice Crop Manager (RCM).

It was further emphasized by them that the validation also aims to ensure that the subsidies would be fruitful and would serve its purpose, and to introduce the community seed exchange wherein the DA will give seeds to the farmers and in return, the farmer will then hand over the seeds to their municipal government after their harvest to manage the cycle of the seeds in their area; and that the model farm is needed to encourage other farmers to use hybrid or inbred seeds since it has helped many of them in boosting their yields.

Municipalities visited for validation were Polillo, Burdeos, Patnanungan, and Jomalig.

The subsidy of inbred and hybrid seeds to farmers is part of the intensive implementation of hybridization program in the region as directed by DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol.