Bandar Seri Begawan - With padi farming courses implemented at the Rice Farmers Field School (RFFS), the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam hopes that paddy entrepreneurs will make use of the education, experience and capabilities to harvest safe and high quality rice to be consumed. Neglect on farm management will cause high maintenance cost, wastage and harvests which are less than satisfactory.

This was highlighted by Dyg Sanah binti Hj Burut, Head of Agriculture Development Unit for the Brunei-Muara District under the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood yesterday at the certificate presentation to the RFFS course participants.

The certificates were presented by the guest of honour, Dyg Hjh Aidah binti Hj Mohd Hanifah, Acting Director of Department of Agriculture and Agrifood. Also present was Ms Celeste V Balatbat, Minister and Consul of the Philippines Embassy in Brunei Darussalam.

Dyg Sanah revealed, "From 2011 to 2012, RFFS has organised nine courses involving 234 paddy entrepreneurs in Brunei-Muara District. Belait District has already received the certificates on February 21, 2013, in which 10 paddy entrepreneurs received their certificates. Another 10 entrepreneurs were from the Tutong District whilst the Temburong District Development Unit has only started their course on February 18, where 30 entrepreneurs from the district are taking part."

With the launch of mass paddy plantations in the country, the Head of Agriculture Development Unit said, "Paddy entrepreneurs have shown positive improvements in the production of their crop and overcoming tough challenges. Through this show of positivity, it is hoped that the increase of harvest will continue to contribute to achieve the aspirations of the nation."

RFFS is an initiative of His Majesty's Government with cooperation from the Philippines Government in the field of agriculture, with the aim of achieving a targeted increase in paddy harvest.

The project started in 2012 with cooperation between the Depai tuient of Agriculture and Agrifood under the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

Three Rice Sufficiency Officers from PhilRice came to Brunei to assist in setting up RFFS and to organise training as well as transfer of technology to the entrepreneurs systematically.

As many as three groups of paddy entrepreneurs, namely KOSEKA, Mukim Pengkalan Batu and Kampong Bebuloh from Brunei-Muara District took part in the programme.

After the start of RFFS in 2010, a number of ground breaking achievements have been made, including a rise in the development capacity of officers and staff under the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood as well as paddy entreprenuers, an increase in good management and practices in plantation and rice farms as well as an increase in harvest or productivity of paddy per hectare.