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Today is :
Archives (2001)
Thailand, Philippines
convene for agri cooperation
by Thea Kristina M. Pabuayon
and Ma. Rowena SA. Briones |
October-December
2001
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Agricultural scientists and leaders from the
Department of Agriculture (DOA) of Thailand and the Bureau
of Agricultural Research (BAR) convened for their first joint
symposium this November to start their cooperation on agricultural
research and development.
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| BAR Director Eliseo R. Ponce and Thai Deputy Director
Prapaisri Pitakpaivan discuss the status of collaborative projects during the DOA Thai-BAR
Joint Symposium at the Manila Galleria Suites last 27-28 November 2001. In the picture are
other Thai delegates.
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The joint symposium is the first activity stipulated
under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperation
in agricultural R&D signed last May 2000 by the two countries.
Aside from the joint symposium that will be held every two
years, the MOU also identifies the following modalities of
cooperation between Thailand and the Philippines: exchange
of scientific and technical information, exchange of plant
germplasm and breeding materials, exchange training and visits,
and joint planning and implementation of research.
The DOA, headed by Deputy Director Prapaisri
Pitakpaivan, and BAR headed by Dr. Eliseo R. Ponce presented
their current and future research directions and priorities.
Technical experts from various disciplines presented scientific
papers on crops biotechnology, biofertilizers, biopesticides,
plant diagnostics, and information technology in relation
to agriculture.
Department of Agriculture (DA) Usec. Ernesto
Ordoñez who represented DA Sec. Leonardo Montemayor
as guest of honor said that the fields of knowledge to be
discussed in the symposium are promising tools in agricultural
science for poverty alleviation and enhancement of global
competitiveness. We have to know how we are going to fully
utilize them because " we do not have the luxury of time.
Global competitiveness is the only key to our survival,"
he said.
With the onset of globalization, Thailand and
the Philippines have recognized that cooperation is vital.
"It is important that we share technologies so that we
can jumpstart all those things we could do so as not to be
left behind, Usec. Ordoñez further pointed out. BAR
Dir. Eliseo Ponce added that
"we will achieve more through this cooperation as we
have common problems, interests and needs." Meanwhile,
DOA Deputy Director Pitakpaivan expressed her appreciation
for the collaboration, saying, "this gathering of Filipino
and Thai scientists is a great opportunity to share solutions
and opportunities. We value this research collaboration because
this is a good channel for scientists and policy makers to
exchange expertise and experiences that we can learn from
each other and from there we can draw future activities complementing
the policy of our government."
Moreover, she disclosed that for the coming
years, Thailand will base its agricultural outputs on the
demands of the local and international market. Consequently,
its priority crops are rice, rubber, cassava, sugarcane, pineapple,
coffee, palm oil, corn and what they call as " high potential
crops" which include mangosteen, pomelo, peanut, baby
corn, and sunflower. They also plan to increase their soybean
and cotton production. To enhance production efficiency, DOA
will promote sustainable production, decentralize their functions,
and develop farmers' organization in the countryside.
BAR envisions a food- secure Philippines. Recognizing
the crucial role research plays in the achievement of this
vision, researches will be geared on developing novel agricultural
production techniques and postharvest technologies to improve
productivity and profitability of agricultural commodities
and promote sustainable agriculture.
BAR and DOA will start drafting protocols of
exchange for germplasm to expedite exchange of varieties between
the two countries. However, Mrs. Pitakpaivan disclosed that
Thailand must wait for the Mutual Trade Agreement endorsement
from their DOA. For the meantime, requests for exchange visits
of scientists and researchers will be facilitated to encourage
exchange of scientific and technical information.
The activities and impacts of the BAR- DOA cooperation
will soon be posted on the BAR website and linked to the DOA
website as part of the electronic fora both agencies agreed
to instate.
Nevertheless, both BAR and DOA put high hopes
on what the cooperation can do. Deputy Director Pitakpaivan
declared that, "even if the pace is slow, if we can come
up with a decisive plan of action, we can move faster. We
also need success indicators.We are all looking forward to
uplifting the livelihood of farmers... if we will not be able
to do that, then we'll just be wasting our time and resources."
 More Articles:
Vol. 3 No. 4 October-December 2001
»»
Outstanding technologies identified in nat'l R&D week
»» Thailand,
Philippines convene for agri cooperation
»»
Prospects for the ornamental industry in the new millennium
»» UPLB
scientists develop new hybrids of Philippine ornamentals
»» New management
techniques for exportable foliage plants
»» In
focus: a date with the "king of cut flowers"
»» Brighten
your homes with aglaonema
»» King
in red and green
»» Cashing
in with the 'lucky bamboo'
»» Turfgrasses:
the preferred ground cover
»» Catching
the invisible enemy with ELISA
»» Grow
dracaena godseffiana the easy way
»» Bromeliads:
the exotic plant
»» Wag that
fish-tail fern
»» Mass
propagating the 'doņas' through kulob system
»» Beauveria
mold bioinsecticide: safer control against orchid pests
»» Orchids
and mycorrhiza: a lesson from the wild
»» Controlling
white rust in chrysanthemums
»» Ways to
enhance palm seed germination
»» Prolonging
the vase life of cut flowers with ethylene adsorbent and Florafresh
»»
Mass producing the fragrant kamuning
»» The
national RDE program for ornamental crops
»» GMA
presents 2001 Gawad Saka awards
[More
2001 Articles]
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