August 19, 2025

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), through the Philippine Rice Information System (PRiSM), continues to empower local government units (LGUs) by integrating space-based technology into municipal agricultural monitoring.

In a series of training workshops organized by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), PRiSM experts served as resource speakers for the Visayas leg in Iloilo City (June 16–18, 2025) and the Luzon leg in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija (August 18, 2025). The workshops, titled “Bridging Agricultural Data Gaps through the Adoption of Remote Sensing Technology,” focused on replacing traditional manual data collection with satellite-based precision.

Photos from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev)

During the sessions, GIS specialists introduced participants to the core functionalities of PRiSM and demonstrated how the system utilizes Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and multi-sensor data to provide near-real-time updates on rice crops. The PRiSM team also provided hands-on technical training in basic Geospatial Information Systems, enabling participants to visualize rice areas derived from Sentinel satellite images and to produce maps.

The training was attended by various LGUs in Nueva Ecija and Iloilo, the Provincial Government of Nueva Ecija, DA-Central Luzon, and the Philippine Statistics Authority. It recognizes the importance of accurate and timely rice production monitoring in ensuring food security.

Photos from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev)