THE provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya is making strides to help farmers increase their rice yields while conserving water, a crucial step in addressing the challenges posed by climate change.
Gov. Jose Gambito said they recently formalized an agreement with Verde Carbon Capture Inc. (VCCI), represented by its project developer and manager Hamsha Saz, through a memorandum of understanding (MOU).
Gambito said the purpose of inking ties with VCCI is to expand the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) Technology Project across irrigated rice farms in the province “boosting our farmers’ rice yield with less water.”
He said the agreement also outlines a 10-year roadmap to gradually roll out AWD across irrigated lowland rice farms throughout Nueva Vizcaya.
Widely recommended by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Department of Agriculture, AWD involves allowing rice fields to dry to a certain level before re-irrigating, rather than keeping them permanently flooded.
This approach not only saves water but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and potentially increases yields.
The DA explained that under the system, irrigation water is temporarily withheld until the water table drops to about 15 centimeters below the soil surface, after which fields are irrigated again.
It said that this cycle reduces water use while lowering methane emissions commonly produced in continuously flooded rice fields.
Gambito emphasized the provincial government’s commitment to supporting initiatives that enhance farm productivity and improve the livelihoods of rice growers.
“With programs like AWD and the planned rice hub, we are strengthening support systems that will help our farmers increase production and secure better returns,” he said.
Initially showcased in 2025 in selected rice areas of Villaverde, Solano, Bayombong, and Dupax del Norte, the AWD technology project has shown promising gains for participating farmers.
The expansion aims to cover over 1,000 hectares initially, with a target of over 5,000 hectares during the current cropping season, with additional expansion areas which include rice lands in Bambang, Bagabag and Quezon.
A company under Green Carbon Inc., VCCI will spearhead the project, while Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU) will serve as the academic partner and lead implementer for technical support and field monitoring in target farming communities.
Elbert Sana, AWD project staff at NVSU, said that the expansion is expected to involve 24 irrigators’ associations representing 6,316 farmers across the province.
“Rice fields using AWD recorded higher production compared with the traditional continuous flooding method, where paddies remain constantly submerged,” Sana said.
Gambito underscored that the provincial government is fully backing initiatives that can raise farm productivity and improve the livelihoods of rice growers in the province.
Meanwhile, the provincial government is also working to establish a rice processing center or “rice hub” to help farmers stabilize palay (unmilled rice) prices, addressing one of the persistent challenges faced by rice producers in Nueva Vizcaya.