BAR TODAY || Official Quarterly Publication of the Bureau of Agricultural Research

DA creates open academy for Philippine agriculture
The establishment of an open academy for Philippine agriculture was the main agenda of the conveners dialogue held on April 10, 2003 at the CERDAF Conference Room. The creation of an open academy is in line with the thrust of modernizing the agriculture sector by empowering farmers and fisherfolk with the latest technology developed through research and development (R&D). The open academy will be made possible through information and communication technologies that enable distance education and strong linkage with important sectors in agriculture possible.

PCA collaborates with international institutions to unravel coconut genome
The European Commission (EC), under its program in international Cooperation with Developing Countries (INCO-DC), has been funding an international project on coconut and oil palm technology since 2001. The project's components are: 1) construction of high-density DNA marker maps on coconut and oil palm, and QTL analyses on characters of economic interest; 2) physical mapping; 3) synteny studies; 4) establishment of field trial systems consisting of several populations to be used for future marker-assisted breeding; and 5) bioinformatics and biotechnology transfer through internet and international workshop/laboratory courses.

BAR joins Asia IT and C workshop
The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) created the Grains Sector Development (GSD) Scholarship Program, which cover master of science (MS) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) degrees. The GSD is given to researchers from the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regions 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and leading state colleges and universities (SCUs) such as University of Southern Mindanao (USM), Central Mindanao University (CMU), and University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

Philippine agri'l eng'g standards launched
The Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards were launched and discussed during the 53rd Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers (PSAE) National Convention held at the Waterfront Hotel, Davao City on April 21-25, 2003. The standards was recently adopted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Administrative Order No. 10 (Series of 2002) and was promulgated by the Board of Agricultural Engineering of PRC through Resolution No. 5 (Series of 2002).

Stakeholders sign pact on rice sufficiency
Rice farmers from 73 rice-producing provinces in the Philippines and key officials from the Department of agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the National Food Authority (NFA), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) drafted a 'rice pact' to push for reforms in promoting rice sufficiency in the country while protecting the welfare of the rice farmers.

BAR, PCARRD tackle decreasing R&D budget
The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) met with the presidents and heads of various scientific and professional organizations on May 29, 2003 at the CERDAF Boardroom to discuss and immediately address the decreasing R&D investments in the country. The meeting was an offshoot of the recent 60% drop in BAR's budget, which deferred various agriculture and fisheries R&D projects.

Medrano keynotes this year's PHILARM convention
In the absence of Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Lius Lorenzo, Jr., Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) Director William Medrano delivered the keynote message during the 13th National Convention of the Philippine Association of Research Managers, Inc. (PHILARM) held on May 11-13, 2003 at the Prominence Inn, Singcang, Bacolod City. Medrano is currently the vice president of PHILARM and according to the Association's bylaws, he will succeed the present president in 2004.