About Us

Vision
The Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Agricultural Research is the lead Research for Development (R4D) coordinating agency towards a technology-empowered agriculture & fishery sector contributory to inclusive growth.

Mission
We coordinate, integrate, fund, and manage the Research for Development (R4D) system to ensure its optimum utility for the agriculture and fishery sector.

Mandate

The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) was created by virtue of Executive Order 116 signed in 1987 under the Freedom Constitution. Under this EO, the government addressed the lack of coordination and integration of agriculture research and development among the existing bureaus, councils, and agencies by creating BAR under the Research, Training, and Extension Group.

BAR’s specific mandate to coordinate agricultural research was affirmed by EO 292, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987. BAR’s specific mandate is to:“(1) ensure that all agricultural research is coordinated and undertaken for maximum utility to agriculture (Section 22).” 

In 1997, Republic Act 8435, a landmark law also known as the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA), was enacted. This law affirmed the leading role of BAR in agriculture and fisheries research and development (R&D).

Executive Orders 127 (1999) and 338 (2000) further expanded the mandate of BAR to orchestrate, consolidate, and strengthen the National Research and Development System for Agriculture and Fisheries (NaRDSAF).

“The Bureau coordinates and funds agricultural and fishery research and development activities, develops partnerships and linkages with local and international research organizations, sources funds from local and foreign donor institutions, strengthens institutional capabilities of the agriculture and fisheries sectors, manages knowledge, facilitates technology utilization, and advocates policies toward improved governance and progressive agricultural and fishery sector value chain.”

Core Functions
As the DA central coordinating agency for research and development, it undertakes the following strategic and priority R&D thrusts, programs, and functions, to wit:

  • Promote the integration of research and development functions and enhance the participation of farmers, fisherfolk, the industry, and the private sector in the development of the national research, development and agenda;
  • Prepare and oversee the implementation of a comprehensive program of R&D to enhance, support, consolidate, and make full use of the capabilities of the interlinked National Research and Development System for Agriculture and Fisheries, including the review and rationalization of the roles, functions, and organization of the various agriculture and fisheries national research, development and extension institutions;
  • Set policies in agriculture and fishery national research and development in order to ensure sustainable food security, alleviate poverty, promote people empowerment, agricultural 
  • productivity and development and promote internationally competitive agribusiness and fishery sector;
  • Formulate policies for the operationalization and continued strengthening of the institutional capacities, efficiency, effectiveness and integration of the national research and development system, including the setting up of M&E system for the effectiveness and efficiency of its various components;
  • Create committees, TWGs and Commodity Teams to facilitate the accomplishments of its objectives;
  • Take the lead in drafting national research and development plans and programs for the NaRDSAF; and
  • Set policies on the relations and exchange between Philippine and international institutions on agriculture and fisheries national research and development, and approve the allocation of funds from national as well as foreign sources for national research and development programs.