LOS BAÑOS, Philippines, 19 February 2025—The Philippine rice industry faces increasing challenges: climate change, diminishing farmland, and escalating production costs. However, these issues are not exclusive to the country—many ASEAN nations also contend with low productivity and evolving market demands. The critical question remains: can the Philippines secure a stable rice supply while supporting the livelihoods of farmers?
To achieve self-sufficiency, it is essential to modernize rice breeding, improve seed distribution, enhance technology adoption among farmers, develop rice for healthier niche markets, and align production with market demand.
The OneRicePH Project, a collaboration between the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Department of Agriculture (DA), the DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), aims to unify and streamline the breeding and research efforts of these three institutions to accelerate the development and adoption of improved rice varieties through five research modules. Now in its fourth year, project leaders recently gathered at IRRI headquarters to evaluate progress and synchronize future efforts with national agricultural priorities.
Key OneRicePH Achievements
Market Segmentation & Product Concepts: Market-driven product concepts were validated in 67 out of 72 provinces, identifying 47 market segments to guide breeding strategies. Data integration into the national breeding program is underway with DA-BAR’s endorsement.
Modernizing the Unified National Rice Breeding Strategy: A 28-site Breeding Network supports the evaluation and selection of elite breeding lines to target market segments in the Philippines. Efforts focus on increasing the genetic gain by 1% in the national breeding programs while streamlining the process through alignment with National Cooperative Testing (NCT) protocols to fast-track variety approval.
Deploying Market-Driven Traits in Philippine Rice Varieties: Genes for yield, pest resistance, and grain quality are being integrated into local varieties. OneRicePH is set to register an improved NSIC Rc222 with a softer texture. Filipino rice breeders have also been trained in DNA sequence analysis.
Developing Low Glycemic Index (GI) and High Antioxidant Rice: Three promising donor lines and 44 breeding lines from the 2023-2024 seasons are under evaluation. NSIC Rc182 and PSB Rc86 will undergo further testing for suitability in niche markets.
Increasing Variety Turnover in Farmers’ Fields: Expanded On-Farm Technology Demonstrations (EOFTDs) at 37 pilot sites aim to boost community-based seed production and accelerate the adoption of newly released inbred rice varieties. In partnership with LGUs, and RFOs, five-hectare, farmer-managed demo farms showcase a package of high-yielding inbred rice varieties, and site-specific nutrient and pest management practices for enhanced productivity and resilience.
What Lies Ahead Following Progress
Concluding the OneRicePH Updating Meeting, Ralph Alan Ceniza, Deputy Director of the DA-National Rice Program, reiterated the critical role of market segmentation in aligning the rice industry with consumer demand. Furthermore, he emphasized the need for continued support in rice variety registration and commercialization.
Adriel Abando, Assistant Head of the DA-BAR Program Development Division, stressed the importance of translating research into scalable innovations through direct stakeholder engagement. “Sustainability depends on securing buy-in from next-users—farmers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders—early in the process, not just at the end,” she stated.
Dr. Sankalp Bhosale, Interim Director of IRRI’s Rice Breeding Innovations, highlighted the necessity of collaboration and alignment with national priorities, noting that rice is “not just food—it represents security and peace.” While a stable pricing system is still evolving, he emphasized that productivity gains drive long-term stability. “Through well-defined market segmentation and supportive policies, we can make meaningful progress,” he concluded.
About the Project and its Upcoming Activities
OneRicePH, funded by the DA-BAR, aligns its research, development, and extension (RDE) agenda with the Philippine Rice Industry Roadmap and the National Rice Program. An inception meeting is scheduled for March at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station, followed by a National Workshop on Scaling and Transitioning in April 2025.
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