BAR announces 2009 AFMA Best R&D papers and poster awards

Rita T. dela Cruz

The Bureau of Agricultural Research announced the six winners of the 21st National Research Symposium held on 9 October 2008 at the Fernando Lopez Hall of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) Bldg., Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.

Winning the "AFMA Best R&D Paper for Basic Research Category" were Maria Rovilla J. Luhan and Hananiah Sollesta of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center-Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC-AQD) for the study, "Growing the Reproductive Cells (carpospores) of the Seaweed, Kappaphycus striatum, in the Laboratory Until Outplanting in the Field and Maturation to Tetrasporophyte".

The study, "Development of a Computer Vision System for Milled Rice Quality Analysis" by Manolito C. Bulaong and Ruben E. Manalabe of the Bureau of Postharvest and Extension (BPRE) and Oliver C. Agustin of Vera Equinox Technologies won the "AFMA Best R&D Paper for Technology/Information Generation-Agriculture Category".

Tied in the first position as the "AFMA Best R&D Paper for Technology Adaptation/Verification-Agriculture Category" are the studies, “Adaptability Test of Technologies for the Management of Jackfruit Fruit Fly (Bactrocera umbrosa Fabr.) in Region 8” by Carlos S. De la Cruz, Brenda B. Almeroda and Mario Socrates P. Tisado of the DA-RFU VIII - EVIARC and "Increasing Productivity of Yam through Improved Cultural Management Practices" by Norlyn B. Legaspi and Beatriz S. Malab of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU).

Norlyn B. Legaspi and Beatriz S. Malab of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) took home the grand prize for the "AFMA Best R&D Paper for Technology Adaptation/Verification-Agriculture Category" for their study, "Increasing Productivity of Yam through Improved Cultural Management Practices".

The "AFMA Best R&D Paper Socio-economics Category", went to Yolanda T. Garcia of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and Nerissa D. Salayo for their study titled, "The Role of Infrastructure Developments on Market Price Formation of Major Aquaculture Species in the Philippines".

The last awardee was Liza G. Battad of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) bagging this year's "AFMA Best R&D Paper for Development Category" for the paper titled, "Intensifying Village-Level Carabao-based Dairy Cooperative-Enterprise Development in Non-Traditional Dairy Communities".

The AFMA Best R&D Poster Award went to the study titled, "Development of Improved Varieties of Mungbean (NSIC Mg14 and NSIC Mg15)" by Flora A. Jarilla, Eugenia M. Buctuanon and Ma. Ana M. Alonzo of the Bureau of Plant Industry-Los Baños National Crops Research and Development Center (BPI-LBNCRDC).

Awarding the winners were honored guests, Dr. William G. Padolina, chair of the Agriculture and Food Panel Congressional Commission on Science and Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) and deputy director general for Operations and Support Services of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI); and Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Preceles H. Manzo who was there in behalf of Secretary Arthur C. Yap.

This year's competition focused on the theme, "Sakahan, Kaalaman, Kaunlaran: Improving the Lives of our Farmers and Fisherfolk through Research and Development" which defines the important role of R&D in meeting the challenges of poverty and food security, particularly in the rural areas through research results that have grand impact at the grassroot level.

BAR holds this yearly event not only to promote R&D excellence but more importantly, to give due recognition to the accomplishments of agriculture and fisheries researchers for their notable achievements in the field. It also serves as a good venue to disseminate new technologies and knowledge, in support to agriculture and fisheries modernization.

Winners of the AFMA Best R&D Paper Awards for each category received PhP50,000 while the first and second runners up got PhP 30,000 and PhP 20,000 respectively. Meanwhile, the AFMA Best R&D Poster received PhP 10,000 while the first and second runners up took home PhP8,000 and PhP5,000, respectively.