The Mighty Ducks in the Rice Farm

My advocacy for farmers and on sustainable agriculture led me to a project in Butuan City. This project is all about the rice duck farming technology. I would suppose this farming technology sounds strange, and interesting. I felt that way too at the beginning. And as I get to discover it more in my 3 day visit, I am just amazed on how good this system is for the farmers.

I aint scientific so let me just spell this technology out on how I understood it. This is not a technical write up as well so I won’t get to the nitty gritty parts of this farming system.

So, basically, rice duck farming technology utilizes the ducklings (yep, the baby ducks and not the adult ones) to help in farming rice. This means lower cost of production (meaning those expenses incurred in farming like fertilizers, labor, pesticides etc.) as the ducklings already take care of eating the pests (and therefore, a good replacement for that chemical and expensive pesticides!) and the fertilizer (as their manure is a good source of nutrients for the rice). And as there is no any sort of chemical involved, this kind of farming is also organic. And that makes it even cooler! :)

Should a farmer engage fully in this kind of farming, the rice duck technology offers various source of income for them. The farmer can opt to actually breed more ducks and sell its eggs, or further process the eggs to balot, penoy and salted eggs. When the ducklings become an adult, they can also be sold as meat via duck dressing. This will involve obviously a lot of job, hardwork and investment but once installed, a farmer can really earn income aside from the sales of rice.

This kind of farming technology has originated in Japan. In the Philippines, the NGO - Philippine Agrarian Reform Foundation for National Development, Inc. (PARFUND) is very active in teaching this technology. They have already reached various provinces in Mindanao. PARFUND is practicing as well breeding ducks, which give them income from selling balot, penoy, salted eggs and duck meat. PARFUND has likewise started processing other duck parts such as duck liver patte (it really tastes good!). They are also starting to make a recipe book for ducks and they mentioned to me this funny but innovative duck recipe such as the arrozcalduck (which they used in a feeding program) and patotim ;)

Anyways, PARFUND has been featured in SOLAR News for its gains in the rice duck farming technology. You can click on this Link to see the video, which will also give you an idea how rice duck farming happens in the field. You can also like PARFUND's facebook page to know more about the rice duck technology (or in case the link did not open) - https://www.facebook.com/PARFUNDInc

I researched for some photos to further illustrate rice duck farming and here they are:

The rice ducks going out/released from their house to go work in the rice fieldSource:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/files/2013/06/ducks.jpg

The rice ducks in actionSource: http://www.greenhealthyfarm.com/2014/01/lists-of-lucrative-agricultural.html

A sample of a duck breeder farm. This is the one that PARFUND has in Butuan City. They also have one in Valencia, Bukidnon; one with bigger capacity.Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152054472653470&set=a.10152054466143470.1073741834.202741898469&type=1

Various products from duck meat: Duck Meat Soppressata, duck liver mousse, Duck liver pate and duck Bocconcini

Source: https://www.facebook.com/RiceDuckMovement/photos/a.149172591919351.1073741834.148179965351947/149172788585998/?type=3&theater

And I also want to share some of the photos I took as well as my selfies and new friends hehehehe :)

The adult ducks inside the breeder farm. This is where they lay eggs

Us - Edel of CODESPA, Sef of PARFUND and I harvesting eggs. I must say it was therapeutic for me :)(still courtesy of Sef's Iphone, taken by Sir Manny of PARFUND )

PARFUND has also started breeding peking ducks :)

Me posing beside the newly hatched ducklings. They will be deployed to the farms soon. And the ducklings were so cute!!!

The ducklings inside their home at the middle of the rice field. This is where they stay and rest after their work in the farm. Creatures of companionship. How cute!

Introducing the project to the farmers in Bayugan

Introducing the project to the farmers in Ezperanza. The mayor also attended :)

Primarily, the project is all about linking the rice produce of the rice duck farmers to a rice marketer based in Manila. This marketer will pay the farmers a price higher than the existing rate of rice in the market. The project also involves training the new and existing rice duck farmers in the said rice farming technology. My role on this one is to ensure that the project gets going :)

I hope that this project become successful. =) In my gut feel, I know that it will be a success as the project is made of souls who are really passionate about helping the farmers and believe in the mightiness of these ducks. :)