By Kenneth Marcos 
In a quiet rice field under the morning sun, a team of experts carefully sprayed a special solution across the growing palay. Their mission: to fight pests the natural way—and help farmers win against crop losses worsened by climate change.
The Bureau of Plant Industry – Crop Pest Management Division (BPI-CPMD), under the Climate-Smart Pest Management (CSPM) program, has successfully applied White Muscardine Fungus and approved chemical treatments in a recent field trial. This is part of a Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) project that aims to find safer, more sustainable solutions for protecting rice crops.
The project, titled “Development of an Innovation System for Climate-Smart Pest Management in Rice,” is testing new pest control methods that are effective, eco-friendly, and suitable for changing climate conditions. The use of White Muscardine Fungus is a major breakthrough. This naturally occurring fungus attacks and kills harmful insects, especially those that cause serious damage to rice plants, without harming people, animals, or the environment.
The trial involved spraying a formulation that combines the White Muscardine Fungus with a chemical containing the right active ingredient, approved for safe use. The team followed proper procedures to ensure the application was both safe and effective.
According to the BPI-CSPM team, this type of pest control is important as traditional pesticide use becomes riskier for farmers, consumers, and the environment. Pests are also becoming more resistant to common insecticides, forcing experts to look for better alternatives.
With the unpredictable weather patterns brought by climate change—more floods, longer droughts, and sudden pest outbreaks—rice production in the Philippines continues to face major challenges. In 2023, the country lost an estimated ₱4.39 billion worth of rice due to pest infestations and natural disasters, according to DA reports. This threatens not only farmer incomes but also the national food supply.
Through the CSPM project, researchers and farmers are working together to adapt. The innovation system also includes farmer education, regular pest monitoring, and data-driven farming practices to reduce the need for harmful chemicals.
This approach fits into the DA’s broader goal of promoting climate-resilient agriculture that can survive and thrive under extreme weather and environmental conditions.
The BPI hopes that once proven effective, the use of White Muscardine Fungus can be introduced to more rice farms across the country. The goal is to build a new generation of pest control that protects both farmer health and crop productivity, while preserving the balance of nature in our fields.
As the country pushes toward a food-secure and climate-smart future, small steps like these field trials could lead to big changes—not just for agriculture, but for every Filipino who relies on rice as a daily essential.
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