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BUTUAN CITY – Agusan del Sur's efforts at sustaining its rice self sufficiency program that began in since 2008 has gained recognation from the agriculture’s Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers Awards program.
 
Jasmine Reyes, provincial agriculture information officer, said the province was named among the country’s Top 10 provinces that have  “laudable” performance in rice production since 2008 until 2011.
 
Reyes said the Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers Awards is the Department of Agriculture’s program that identifies and gives recognition to high-performing provinces, cities, and municipalities in rice production and agricultural extension work. 

Also, Reyes said agusan del Sur's rice program aims to achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2013, at the earliest.
 
The province’s agriculture office has implemented a rice production program dubbed "Boosted Utilization of Grains in Agusan del Sur (BUGAS)," under Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza’s administration.  
 
Under the BUGAS program, the provincial government would provide assistance, including farm inputs such as seeds and fertilizers, to small scale farmers.

Also, the local government is set to begin construction of small-scale irrigation and pre- and post-harvest facilities.
 
Under the program, Reyes said the local government would also construct farm-to-market roads, provide training on appropriate technology, including the use of organic fertilizers and marketing assistance to farmers.
 
Record shows that in 2011, the province’s rice production posted 333,160 metric tons, bringing the average yield to 3.5MT/ha.  It has surplus of 139,835MT based on the 124 kilograms per capita consumption or a total of 73,387MT requirement.

The province has a total population of 240,000 in 2011. — Alden Pantaleon Jr. /LBG, GMA News