
MANILA -- "When the rice seedlings grow to about this high, transplant them to a paddy," Lea Abaoag at the Philippine Rice Research Institute instructed. "Calculate how many hours of sunlight they'll get to plan when you'll harvest them."
Abaoag was passing on the advice to visiting trainees from various African countries at the institute, widely known as PhilRice, an arm of the country's agricultural department. The trainees will spread this knowledge in their home countries.