DOST's innovative rice transplanter attachment cuts costs, boosts farm productivity

THE Department of Science and Technology’s Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) is promoting its rice transplanter attachment (RTA) for hand tractors to help farmers reduce labor costs and improve productivity in rice farming.

RTA was developed in partnership with the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization as a technology that can be mounted on common hand tractors used in rice fields.

Rey Mariposque, DOST-MIRDC senior science research specialist, said that farmers traditionally use hand tractors for land preparation and transporting harvested rice, and the innovation now allows them to also use the same machine for transplanting.

RICE TRANSPLANTER A farmer uses a hand tractor with a rice transplanter attachment designed by the Department of Science and Technology–Metals Industry Research and Development Center, resulting in faster transplanting, reduced labor from 14 workers to two, and uniform seedling spacing that help increase yield and lower production costs. PHOTO BY DOST-MIRDC

He said the attachment maximizes the utilization of existing farm equipment, making hand tractors more versatile and efficient.

With this latest mechanization, Mariposque said that farmers need only two people — an operator and a helper — instead of 14 workers for manual transplanting.

“Farmers shared that they previously struggled to source labor and often had to wait for other fields to be planted before workers became available,” Mariposque said.

“With the transplanter, only two people are needed — usually the farmer as the operator and a family member to load the seedlings — making planting easier and encouraging younger family members to see that farming is no longer purely manual and physically demanding,” he added.

Field tests conducted in Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Nueva Vizcaya show that the machine can transplant up to 1.6 hectares in seven hours of operation.

Farmers who tested the technology also reported at least a 12-percent increase in yield due to uniform planting based on Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards.

Mariposque noted that the RTA is more affordable than imported ride-on transplanters and can be mounted on at least 9-horsepower hand tractors following International Rice Research Institute design standards.

“Ride-on units in the market cost over P1 million, but our transplanter is priced at less than half a million. With a P1 million budget, a cooperative can buy only one ride-on unit, but they can purchase up to four DOST-developed transplanters, benefiting more farmers,” he said.

Materials used for the equipment are locally available, making fabrication, maintenance and repair easier for countryside-based fabricators and farmers.

Through its technology transfer program, DOST-MIRDC provides training to licensed fabricators and offers up to 50-percent discount on selected parts manufactured within its facilities.

Interested farmers and cooperatives may coordinate with their nearest Provincial Science and Technology Office or regional DOST office to learn more about the RTA and its application in their areas.

Inquiries are also accepted through the official DOST-MIRDC Facebook page or via email at [email protected], with a copy furnished to Director Robert Dizon for proper coordination.

DOST-MIRDC said that the initiative reflects the agency’s continuing commitment to develop practical and affordable technologies that reduce costs and improve the work burden of Filipino farmers.