The Department of Agriculture (DA) is intensifying the annual observance of National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM) this November, urging Filipinos to adopt more “RICEponsible” consumption habits to promote better health, combat food waste, and bolster support for local farmers.
The campaign, which carries the theme “Be RICEponsible,” aims to raise public awareness on the importance of rice in addressing malnutrition and poverty, while driving the national goal of rice self-sufficiency. The observance was reinforced through Proclamation No. 524, according to Charisma Love Gado-Gonzales, Supervising Science Research Specialist at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
Gado-Gonzales highlighted that irresponsible practices, including food waste, avoiding nutritious rice varieties, and a preference for imported rice, continue to affect the local rice sector. “The goal of this is to encourage every Filipino that something can be done in our simple ways for ourselves, the farmers, and the country,” she said in a radio interview Wednesday.
The core of the “Be RICEponsible” campaign is the “A-Ba-Ka-Da” movement, which outlines specific behavioral changes for Filipino consumers.
This framework urges the public to practice mixing rice with other staples such as adlai, corn, and saba (cardava banana) to diversify their diet and maximize nutritional intake.
The initiative strongly advocates for choosing brown or unpolished rice, as these varieties offer superior nutritional value compared to heavily processed white rice. Crucially, the campaign emphasizes the importance of avoiding wasting rice, calling on households, schools, and communities to make every grain count in an effort to reduce food waste across the country.
The DA stressed that achieving rice self-sufficiency requires cooperation from the public through lifestyle changes, especially as fast food and processed meals have become increasingly common.
Gado-Gonzales added that purchasing locally produced rice is crucial for increasing farmers’ incomes and decreasing the country’s reliance on imports. Now in its 10th year, the “Be RICEponsible” campaign continues to reinforce rice as a cultural symbol and a vital component of the nation’s food security strategy.