News

Researchers from IAARD visit BAR
by Rita T. dela Cruz

The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) led by Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar welcomed a team of researchers from the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD) for a briefing on 29 June 2008. The activity was part of the exchange study visit between Indonesia and the Philippines.

IAARD is the R&D arm of the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture which aims to generate responsive agricultural innovation suited to the dynamic of rural areas and the needs of their beneficiaries. One of its missions is to create, engineer, and develop strategic and location-specific technologies and make policy recommendations for the agricultural sector. Likewise, the IAARD hopes to hasten the dissemination of technology and information to the beneficiaries, strengthen national and international collaborations in science and technology, and improve the Institution’s role in the agribusiness sector and overall agricultural development of the country.

Heading the Indonesian delegation was Dr. I Made Mahardika, research manager and project finance officer of IAARD. He was joined by Mr. Ir Sumanto, senior researcher and project officer; Mr. Ir Subagio, head of economics; and Ms. Ir Roni Nurhastuti, head of agricultural services.

The Indonesian visitors were presented the BAR Story, a documentary about BAR's history, mandate, and R&D directions and priority programs, including Dir. Eleazar's eight-point strategy.

BAR key officials who were present during the briefing were BAR Asst. Dir. Teodoro S. Solsoloy, Program Development Division (PDD) Head Carmencita V. Kagaoan, Research Coordination Division Head Tito Z. Arevalo, Management Information Systems Division Head Marlowe U. Aquino, International Relations Unit (IRU) Head Victoriano B. Guiam, and technical staff members, namely: Rudyard R. Roxas of IRU and Rene Cris P. Rivera of PDD.

The study visit was conducted to improve the R&D activities of both countries specific on food crops, vegetables, fruits, ornamental, and estate crops which are the focused commodities of IAARD.

The Indonesian researchers stayed in the country for a week, visiting primary research institutions in the Philippines to help them gain information and familiarize themselves with various activities and priority programs of Philippine agriculture.

After visiting BAR, the Indonesian delegation visited the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and the Optiserve Technologies, Inc. for a briefing on e-Learning. They also proceeded to the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH), Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB), Science and Technology Park, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Sino Center for Agricultural Technology (PhilSCAT), Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE), and Central Luzon State University (CLSU).

The group also visited Mr. Lito M. Arenas' Pangasinan Tropical Fruit Multi-purpose Cooperative (PTF-MPC) in Manaoag, Pangasinan; and interviewed successful goat farmers in Balungao and Sta. Maria, Pangasinan with the technical support from Dr. Jovita Datuin, manager of the Ilocos Integrated Agricultural Research Center.