Manila, April 10 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Thursday it conducted the first harvest festival for locally produced hybrid rice seeds in Barangay Rang-ay, Banaybanay, Davao Oriental province, this week.

In a statement, DA 11 (Davao Region) Executive Director Macario Gonzaga cited the importance of innovation, the development of local seed production, and the future outlook where agriculture drives growth to improve the lives of Filipino farmers.

This initiative aligns with DA's Administrative Order 9, which focuses on promoting and developing hybrid rice production and recognizes the importance of supporting local seed production to strengthen the agricultural industry, Gonzaga said.

"The order emphasizes that hybrid rice...