Davao City—Farmers have earned P55,000 for selling rat tails in Surigao del Sur under a program of the municipal government which seeks to prevent rodents from damaging rice crops in Cantilan.

While the amount may not be significant, the bayanihan effort not only prevented rats from infesting rice fields but also allowed planters to earn extra money amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The municipal government of Cantilan has offered its farmers P7.50 per rat tail. As of June, farmers turned in 7,430 rat tails, which fetched P55,725 from the office of the Municipal Agriculture Officer.

The municipal government offered the bounty through the agriculture office under the town's program dubbed Oplan Rat Blanketing. Cantilan has a total rice area of 1,800 hectares cultivated by 3,833 farmers.

"Digging, flooding, and trapping are the common approaches for rat control in rice fields but these measures are not enough. Instead, actions should be coordinated through an effective, community-based management strategy," said Municipal Agriculturist Caesar Blanco.

The community rat campaign has been implemented since 2016. For this year, the local government of Cantilan allotted P100,000 for the Oplan Rat Blanketing. It also allowed farmers to get free rodenticides worth P100,000.

"The campaign aims to rekindle the bayanihan spirit among the farmers with the collective action this will lead to reducing the losses brought by rat infestation," Blanco said.

The program encourages the participation of the 46 farmers' associations and cooperatives in the municipality. One of those that stood out is the Tigabong Farmers Association. Members of the group submitted 2,552 rat tails valued at P19,140.

Alberto A. Ortega, president of the association, said he and other members of the association searched the field for rats usually at night.

"Rats like to hide and burrow in weedy areas near major irrigation canals, so we know where to find them. The money we earn will be shared among members for our daily expenses," said Ortega.

According to Francis Louie Parina, Regional Integrated Pest Management coordinator of the Department of Agriculture, "one of the factors preventing the rice sector from reaching its full potential in production is the pest and diseases infestation and one of the major pests identified is the rat."

Parina cited an International Rice Research Institute study which indicated that farmers lose an estimated 5 percent to 10 percent of their rice crop annually due to rat infestation.

"The solution must be holistic. If we put effort to increase palay yield, we must, likewise, put effort to prevent the rats from decreasing the yield."

He said farmers must adopt synchronous planting, improved sanitation, and community action. These recommended management practices will allow farmers to become "proactive rather than reactive."

Image courtesy of http://www.philrice.gov.ph

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