Farmers Get Subsidized Access to Drone Services

The government is pushing drone technology as a solution that can be adopted by rice farmers to increase their yields and lower production costs.

- Artemio Dumlao

Thus, the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA), together with the Department of Agriculture-National Rice Program (DA-NRP), is promoting precision agriculture through the Drones4Rice project, emphasizing its benefits for rice farmers and the need to regulate drone activities.

The initiative aims to empower rice farmers through subsidized access to drone services, said Glenn Estrada, program director of the DA's Digitalization and Value Chain Development and Masagana Rice Industry Development Programs.

He said beneficiaries would receive vouchers worth P2,000 per hectare for the full drone-assisted farming operations, from pre-flight planning, crop establishment, nutrient management and pest and disease control.

"The NRP allotted about P300 million to support the commercial application of drones. It primarily caters to organized groups such as rice clusters, irrigators' associations, farmers' cooperatives and associations, small water irrigation system associations and agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations," Estrada said.

He clarified that while DA-NRP would not purchase drones directly, the program would ensure farmers can access these services through a voucher system.

FPA executive director Julieta Lansangan said the agency would develop protocols and regulate drone use in agriculture, pointing out that drones can be used for terrorism activities.

She added that regulating drone operations in agriculture ensures the safety of users, consumers and the environment, along with the proper application of agricultural inputs.