Researchers rallied behind Malusog Rice during the 36th Ugnay Palay Conference of the Philippine Rice Research Institute, stressing its potential to address nutrition and agricultural challenges by promoting healthier diets and improving rice yields. Conducted on Dec. 3-5, the conference featured the “Rise for Healthier Rice” exhibit, which highlighted Malusog Rice, a beta carotene-enriched variety, as a science-driven solution to micronutrient undernutrition.“We need Malusog Rice to provide consumers with a healthier option while helping farmers increase their productivity,” a researcher noted during the event. A study titled “Stakeholders Willing to Accept and Consume Beta Carotene-enriched Rice: Findings from the Pilot-Scale Deployment of Malusog Rice in the Philippines,” which earned the Best Paper Award in the 2024 International Conference for Crop Science and Breeding, showed strong acceptance among farmers and consumers, validated by market testing and on-farm production results in six provinces.Study showed that average yields ranged between 3.2-4.9t/ha, comparable with existing inbred rice varieties. Over two cropping seasons, Malusog Rice demonstrated good performance, achieving a maximum yield of 8.3t/ha. Production cost assessments during the 2022 and 2023 cropping seasons further showed that Malusog Rice’s production costs at PhP12.07-PhP12.15/kg are on par with conventional rice varieties. Based on a research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, about one cup of Malusog Rice may provide up to 30-50% of the vitamin A needs of preschool age children and pregnant or lactating mothers. The Malusog Rice Program aligns with the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rice Industry Roadmap 2030, which prioritizes combating micronutrient undernutrition by increasing the availability of safe, nutritious, and value-added rice.