By: Celso M. Cajucom

DA-PHILRICE

New, Nutrient-Enriched Rice Varieties Offer Promise in Fight Against Malnutrition

SCIENCE City of Muñoz – THE special rice varieties promoted by the Department of Agriculture–Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) address various nutritional deficiencies and health concerns prevalent in the country.

Participants, including students from the University of Tokyo and farmers from Northeastern Luzon, were educated on several nutritionally enriched rice varieties through PhilRice’s “Healthier Rice Program.”

This engagement followed a recent activity in the region aimed to combat widespread nutritional deficiencies and health issues.

Special types of rice highlighted during the activity included high-zinc rice, low-glycemic index (GI) rice, brown rice, pigmented rice, and beta carotene-enriched Malusog Rice.

The PhilRice’s healthier rice program also provides more nutritious alternatives to conventional milled white rice.

“I am surprised by the depth of what rice offers. While it’s easily overlooked as a common staple, its potential as a powerful tool for public health becomes clear once people can access these more nutritious varieties”, as one Japanese student noted.

Meanwhile, the first Regional Beef Cattle Congress and 2^nd Cagayan Valley Agriculture, Aquatic, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development Network Technology Forum at the Quirino experiment station, farmers showed a strong interest in cultivating these improved rice types once they are released to the market.

“These healthy rice varieties hold great promise for Filipino children and families, when they become available, I hope to plant them in my field.” said Patricio Penuaga, a farmer from San Guillermo, Isabela.

Nutrition-related public health issues persist in the country, as indicated by recent statistics as the 2023 National Nutrition Survey by the Department of Science and Technology–Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) revealed that 23.6% of children under five are stunted, and 15.5% have a vitamin “A” deficiency.

Furthermore, non-communicable diseases (NCD) are a growing threat, with 7.5% of adults aged 20 to 59 diagnosed with diabetes, according to the 2024 International Diabetes Federation. The Philippine Statistics Authority recorded more than 282,000 deaths from NCD in the previous year.

As part of its ongoing efforts, PhilRice is promoting healthier rice varieties to enhance family diets and prevent lifestyle-related diseases. By making these more nutritious options available, it will also simultaneously strengthens the livelihoods and promotes family health of local rice farmers.