The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) is currently conducting a series of orientation and planning workshops on the preparation of feasibility study (FS) for the establishment and upgrading of the Rice Processing System (RPS) under the RCEF Mechanization Program.

The workshop aims to capacitate various Farmers' Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs) and Local Government Units (LGUs) who are recipients of the RPS in preparing an FS which is a major requirement in availing the facility.

The RPS recipients are required to accomplish and submit their FS after the workshop. This will ensure proper management of the facility in the aspects of technical, marketing, organizational and management, and financial and socio-economic/political.

At present, the RPS team of PHilMech have already conducted three batches of workshops with participants from 33 FCAs and LGUs in Regions I, II, and III.

Recipients from Regions IV-A, IV-B, V, in Visayas and Mindanao are set to be equipped this January 2023.

Meanwhile, the RPS is a state-of-the-art drying and milling facility which aims to produce quality milled rice and curb postharvest losses. It plays a vital role in attaining the potential benefits of mechanization by complementing the rice production technologies distributed during the first three years of the RCEF implementation.

PHilMech targets to establish 300 RPS nationwide before the program ends in 2024. As of today, 14 RPS were already installed while 54 more are targeted to be delivered by December 2022.