CAGAYAN, Philippines (02 April 2025) — Diabetes is a global health issue, currently affecting 6.6 million people in the Philippines, with numbers steadily increasing. Among the major contributing factors are poor dietary choices, particularly excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates such as white rice. As consumers become more health-conscious, there is a growing demand for healthier food alternatives such as low glycemic index (GI) rice.
“Through the ‘Nourishing Futures: Advancing Nutrition Security with Sustainable Low Glycemic Index Rice Production in the Philippines’, IRRI supports the food and nutrition security, public health, and economic opportunities in the Philippines by developing, producing, and commercializing low GI and ultra-low GI rice varieties.”, shared IRRI Senior Scientist Dr. Madonna Casimero at the orientation for farmer cooperators for the techno-demo establishments in Region II conducted on April 2 in Gamu, Isabela, and April 3 in Solana, Cagayan.
A collaboration among the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and DA Regional Field Office II, the project will support the wide-scale adoption and value chain development of low-GI rice. This includes activities such as varietal development and seed production, techno-demonstration (techno-demo) establishments, commercialization, market and export development, assessment of health and nutritional impacts, quality assurance, sustainability and environmental impact evaluations, and monitoring and evaluation.
Dr. Madonna C. Casimero of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) provided an overview of the Low GI Rice Project, including the work plan and schedules for the upcoming techno-demonstration trials this wet season and the succeeding season. Mr. Jay Lord Y. Bagasin of DA-RFO II shared details of the specific activities under the project and explained the in-kind support that farmer cooperators will receive. Meanwhile, Ms. Gemma G. Bagunu of the Cagayan Valley Research Center (CVRC) and Mr. Ferdinand Enriquez of the Southern Cagayan Research Center (SCRC) presented the bundle of recommended crop management practices that participating rice farmers are expected adopt to ensure the production of high-quality seeds and achieve high productivity of Low GI rice.
Dr. Rose Mary G. Aquino, Regional Executive Director of DA-Regional Field Office II underscored the importance of introducing healthier rice options to the market especially its potential to contribute to increasing farmer income and the improving of public health, particularly in Region II where diabetes prevalence is notably high. Aside from learning about the project, the event also served as a venue for discussion and an open forum where farmer cooperators could raise their concerns, ask questions, and share insights. Stakeholders from DA-RFO II, PhilRice, CVRC, SCRC, ATI-RTC II, APCO Cagayan, and LGU Solana were present.
This season, a total of 47 hectares (23.5 hectares each in Solana, Cagayan and Gamu, Isabela) will be covered, marking the first-ever widescale demonstration of low GI rice cultivation in the Philippines. In the upcoming seasons, the project aims to expand these techno-demonstrations to cover at least 100 hectares.