Rice Science Museum opens in Batac

 

Batac Mayor Jeff Nalupta and Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos open the Rice Science Museum (Lei Adriano)

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

Batac City—The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) launched on March 3 a rice museum to showcase the historical transformation of rice production and technology over the last 2,000 years.

Reaching out to farmers including students and out-of-school youth, PhilRice Batac branch manager Fidela Bongat said the museum hopes to entice the young generation to have a deeper appreciation of what agriculture means as the real backbone of the economy.

“Alam natin nauubos na ang ating mga farmers. The average farmer, according to our Governor Imee Marcos is aged 58 in Ilocos Norte and 57 in the Philippines. So, what else can we do? We have to entice our young generations to make up their minds that they will into agriculture, not only on rice but also in all aspects of agriculture,” said Ms. Bongat in an interview.

Located at the lower ground floor of PhilRice building, the first of its kind rice museum in Ilocos Norte houses the rice-based farming systems, involving pieces of material culture, from the past and present and highlights the culture of rice farmers all over country. It also features different information and technologies in rice production with audio visual presentation.

Specifically, the centerpiece of the museum is the Ifugao rice culture which is described as the best representation of rice culture in the country with its backdrop of the rice terraces and farm tools and equipment, like the batawel (for carrying the harvest), galud (for digging), panuptop (taking down soil from the terraces), hukikud (dibbles), ganulang (for harvesting), luhung and lalu (mortar and pestle), and heirloom rice harvests, among others.

The museum also has sections for lowland farming that shows plow and harrow, singkaw (yoke), and tsako among others; modern farming, biodiversity that depicts the diverse life forms in the rice fields, anatomy of rice kernel, rice ecosystem, rice art, rice food, rice life, rice environment, and rice technologies, among others. 

Attended by various stakeholders, Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos and Batac City Mayor Jeffrey Jubal C. Nalupta also graced the occasion.

In her speech, Ms. Marcos said that it has long been the aim of the country to be self-sufficient on rice which was the case during the time of his father, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. when the Philippines was one of the first rice exporters to India, Indonesia and the rest of the Asian regions.

Acknowledging the prevailing challenges in agriculture such as aging farmers, importation and high costs of farming inputs, Ms. Marcos said there’s a need to increase farmers’ productivity and come up with value-adding products.

With the all-out support of all local government units, research agencies and other support agencies, Ms. Marcos hopes for a new wave of farmers to sustain growth and development.