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Bar proposes P3.4B R&D budget for Y2000

April 1999

To rectify past expenditure policies that resulted in the poor performance of agriculture, the Bureau of Agricultural Research is batting for a P3.525-billion budget for agricultural and fisheries R&D for the year 2000.

"The lack of public investment for agricultural support services has been one of the deterrents of agricultural development," said BAR Director Eliseo R. Ponce, citing studies that pinpointed low public expenditures on R&D as a major cause of stagnation of agriculture.

Public investment in R&D is expressed as a percentage of the agriculture sector's economic value or gross value added (GVA). The positive correlation between R&D investment and agricultural development is borne out worldwide: countries investing 2% to 3% of GVA attain developed status, while those investing about 1% are considered developing. In contrast, Philippine investment has traditionally been less than one-third percent. BAR's projected R&D budget of P3.525- billion for 2000 is 1.2% of GV A, and is almost eight times more than the 1999 budget. It will be allocated to the following programs:

• P500M for Science Fund intended for continuing human resource development of scientists and researchers in the R&D network;
  
• P1.125B for Institutional Development;
  
• P1 B for R&D programs:
  
• P200M for the R&D National Information Network
  
• P500M for the Special R&D Fund for Mindanao and
  
• P200M for Coordination and Management.

The P500M Science Fund will be deposited in a trust account: only its interest will be used for scholarships and training of agriculture and fisheries R&D workers.

For institutional development BAR will adopt the PhilRICE model to modernizing the various R&D centers and institutions. PhilRICE is the country's leading R&D center in terms of technical expertise and state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.

In the implementation of R&D programs, BAR has adopted the "one system, one program" approach of management.

All R&D agencies and institutions including the agricultural state universities and colleges shall receive direct R&D funding from BAR.

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April 1999

»» Bar proposes P3.4B R&D budget for Y2000
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