PalayCheck: the Philippines' rice integrated crop management system

The PalayCheck is a rice Integrated Crop Management System for transplanted irrigated lowland rice farming. It integrates and balances relevant technology and crop management options with farmers' learning to improve productivity and profitability in an environment-friendly manner. It is being developed and fine-tuned under the FA0-supported project entitled "Strengthening the Development and Use of Rice Integrated Crop Management (Rice ICM) for Food Security and Poverty Alleviation." PalayCheck has nine key check recommendations. These are in the crop management areas of seed quality, land preparation, crop establishment, nutrient management, pest management, water management, and harvest management. Monitoring farm document the farmers' practice for each crop management area. Regular farmers' meetings review the results and determine the differences between the farmers' practice and the PalayCheck technology recommmendations. Thirty-one PalayCheck pilot sites have so far been established in 14 provinces with 942 farmer-partners. Trainings were provided to 44 researchers and extension workers who are facilitating and coordinating the PalayCheck activities. As a dynamic system, PalayCheck uses a farmer-participatory approach to come-up-with farmer-responsive and location-specific rice management recommendations. It also requires the active involvement of LGU-based agricultural technicians. To further promote the system and derive feedback from farmers, field days were conducted at each of the PalayCheck sites. Results of the first season (2000 wet) showed that farmers achieving more key checks obtained higher yields and gross margins. For example, farmers who achieved all nine key checks had an average yield of 6.73 t/ha and an average gross margin of PhP 43,350/ha while those who achieved only three key checks had an average yield of 4.46 t/ha and an average gross margin of PhP 23,134/ha. Thus, the PalayCheck system has the potential of not only contributing significantly to increased rice productivity, but also to enhanced profitability of rice farming in the country.