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NEWS & EVENTS

Feb 06, 2023

DA-BAR gears up to a more impact-driven pathway

“The BAR is now in pursuit of raising the BAR of excellence to a more impact-driven pathway,” said DA-BAR OIC-director Joell H. Lales in his presentation during the DA-BAR 2023 management committee meeting on 6 February 2023 at 4F, DA-BAR Conference Hall, Quezon City.“The thrust is changing, we are doing more cascading, the modality [now] is towards a more equitable allocation of investment in areas with high poverty incidence (in the country),” he added.Pivoting toward strengthened research for development agenda, institutionalizing R4D programs that best fit the current needs, and challenges of the AF sector and its R4DE system, DA-BAR will prioritize projects that focus on scaling ready and mature agricultural technologies through Community-based R4DE Program for Farm Productivity and Sustainability (CPAR) and Agricultural Technology Business Incubators (ATBI) toward ease of adoption and commercialization.CPAR will focus on the deployment of best practices and upscaling of mature, market-driven, and demand-driven technologies in soil, water, nutrient, crop management, and product processing to enhance productivity and expand market opportunities for selected agriculture and fisheries products.Whereas the ATBI will focus on increasing the capacities of research-based business incubators in managing agri-fisheries technology-based enterprises.For the renewed modalities, DA-BAR will be directly engaging target communities, along with research for development stakeholders in the locality, following a more functional and spatial planning and whole-of-the-nation approach. The meeting, which is composed of DA-BAR’s top officials and concerned staff, also discussed the R4DE agenda, programs, and activities; recent directives and pressing concerns of the DA; administrative and financial concerns, and human resources management.“Hopefully, by 2024, we will be able to implement a more equitable, inclusive, and participatory R4DE program management,” said OIC-director Lales. 

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Feb 02, 2024

DA-BAR’s Research Talks kicks off, features ATBI R4D program

In an effort to ensure that programs, support services, and supported technologies and products are properly disseminated to its valued research for development (R4D) stakeholders, the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) launched the first episode of its new knowledge exchange (KE) activity–the Research Talks, on 2 February 2024 via the DA-BAR official facebook page. With its first episode titled, Let’s Talk About Business in R4D: Technology Business Incubation (TBI), Engineer Ethcel Princess P. Libang, head of Technology Management Section and lead focal of the Agricultural Technology Business Incubation (ATBI) R4D program of DA-BAR, joined by Mark Patrick P. Atabay, manager of ADePT-TBI of  DA-Cagayan Valley Research Center, delved into the ATBI’s program design and objectives as well as its implementation and successes.  Libang presented the history and development of TBI, as implemented by other agencies, into becoming one of DA-BAR’s thematic programs; roles of DA-Regional Field Offices (RFOs) as technology incubators, and farmer-partners and agripreneurs as incubatees; components and success indicators of the project implementation under the program; and the ATBI’s prime goal of transforming farmer-partners as agripreneurs contributory to the country’s economic development.“It is really a change in mindset not only for RFO but for our farmer-partners too... we want to transform them into agripreneurs – into sustainable business enterprises,” she said.She highlighted that the program, as it transforms the transfer of mature technologies from incubators to incubatees, is market-driven and tailor-fitted to the needs of its clientele based on assessment.Meanwhile, Atabay presented their program implementation of the ADePT-TBI as well as its accomplishments particularly in mentoring its incubatees to becoming successful agripreneurs.Being the first DA-RFO-operated TBI in the country, ADePT-TBI has already transferred a total of 12 mature food processing and farm production technologies since 2021. Moreover, it also provided more than 40 training sessions and capacity-building activities including pitching sessions to its incubatees- paving the way for better funding opportunities amounting to Php 10.5M.“To my fellow researchers in the R4D community, let us keep on innovating for our farmers… and to our farmers, participate in any TBI programs and activities near you,” Atabay said.The bi-monthly KE activity provides an avenue for the bureau’s program focals to discuss commodity and thematic programs, institutional development support, as well as other programs and support services of the bureau. In each episode, research-partners will also share their research efforts and initiatives as well as the R4D implementing agency they represent. “Going beyond our mission to manage and support R4D projects and initiatives, the bureau likewise ensures that these programs, supported technologies and products are properly disseminated to our stakeholders. We acknowledge the need to introduce and reintroduce to our partners and viewers the information on the programs and activities of the bureau, as well as related government services, that they can access and adopt,” DA-BAR director Junel B. Soriano said in an interview.

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Feb 15, 2023

DA-BAR TBI program assessed and validated

To validate the results and analysis of the implementation of the Technology Business Incubation (TBI) Program of the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), the bureau convened partner R4D institutions to a five-day validation workshop and proposal writeshop for the expanded program on 6-10 February 2023 at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna.“We want to come up with a [handbook] that will assist us in implementing and institutionalizing the TBI program at the DA [regional] level. We do understand that the [state universities and colleges] SUCs already have an ongoing TBI program. And we want to identify the possible interventions or support that [DA-BAR] can further provide [to] our SUCs and at the same time strengthen and capacitate our regional offices,” said Kris Thea Marie B. Hernandez, acting assistant Research Program Development Division head and Impact Evaluation and Policy Section head, in her opening remarks.The workshop validated the accuracy of the information gathered, analysis conducted, and recommendations proposed through feedback and suggestions from selected TBI stakeholders covered by the study; facilitated the integration of comments to the final report of the project; and revised and updated the guidelines of the DA-BAR TBI Program.“Entrepreneurial incubation can push agricultural rural development. I encourage you to include the TBI program in your strategic business planning and align it with the National Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization and Industrialization Plan,” said project leader and technology transfer and entrepreneurship expert Glenn N. Baticados in his closing remarks.“If you can actually create your brand, your identity as early as now, that is something worth investing in. Tandaan niyo ‘ yan. Branding is a very important concept when you are dealing with TBI,” he stressed to attending participants from DA-regional offices and SUCs.Meanwhile, the writeshop is expected to produce quality proposals for funding under DA-BAR TBI Program. For 2023, the bureau will be implementing a ladderized funding support to DA regional offices for the assessment, development, and operationalization of their respective TBI programs.Participants included representatives from six DA regional offices, namely Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Bicol, SOCCSKSARGEN, Cordillera Administrative Region; DA-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute; and four SUCs, namely Capiz State University, Mariano Marcos State University, Pampanga State Agricultural University, and Visayas State University. They are joined by experts from SEARCA and University of the Philippines Los Baños.In 2021, DA-BAR launched its TBI Program, complementing its technology commercialization program, to support DA regional offices and SUCs in effectively transferring the technologies that they have generated. The program was pegged to serve as a concentration hub to facilitate the transfer of mature technologies generated. 

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Jan 23, 2023

DA-Central Visayas promotes micro-propagation; distributed 30,000 banana plantlets to farmer associations

DA-Central Visayas produced and distributed 30,000 plantlets to active farmer associations of the identified 30 municipalities under the DA-BAR-funded project on the mass production and distribution of quality planting materials through micro-propagation techniques.Thirteen farmer associations from Cebu, 10 from Bohol, 5 from Negros Oriental, and 2 from Siquijor were among the recipients, with target area for planting of 9,000 sqm/1000 plantlets following 3X3m planting distance.Implemented in the three research stations of the DA-Central Visayas: Cebu Experiment Station, Southern Cebu Farming System Research and Development Satellite Station, and Bohol Experimental Station, a half-hectare techno-demo farm in Barili, Cebu, is planted with 550 hills of tissue cultured banana planting materials to showcase banana production using tissue culture planting materials combined with proper cultural management. This provides a learning platform for farmers to apply these technologies on their farms. In order for the project partner associations to understand the processes that the plants go through before they reach them, it was explained how to produce quality banana planting materials in large quantities utilizing the in vitro approach in a laboratory setting. Full procedure was covered, from choosing the optimal explant to stabilizing the plantlets in the laboratory and in nursery. Also presented was an interactive discussion on pest control including typical diseases of banana and its management. The trainors-training for agriculture technicians and municipal agriculture officers mustered to mentor the farmers were also conducted. Banana tissue culture or micropropagation uses the shoot tip of daughter suckers. The process consists of five important steps: collection of explants, culture initiation, culture proliferation, rooting of culture, and acclimatization and hardening.Through tissue culture, mass propagation of disease-free planting materials could be achieved in a short period of time.  It also rejuvenates the plants resulting in more vigorous growth, higher yields, better quality fruits, early fruiting, and more uniform crop growth than those by conventional means.The farmers embraced the technology with warm gratitude and appreciation that allowed them to diversify crops in their respective farm areas in an effort to increase production and augment livelihood incomes in the countryside. During the Farmers’ Field Day at the technology demonstration farm in Barangay Gunting, Barili, Cebu, 100 individuals, 80 of which are farmers from various farmer associations assisted by the project attended. The farmer associations were Taloot Farmers Association, Kangdampas Farmer Association, and Lulumpan United Farmers Association.

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Jan 18, 2023

UPLB-BIOTECH Biofertilizers reviewed for potential mass production

The DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research, along with corn experts, convened in a meeting to discuss the availability and mass production possibilities of biofertilizers developed by University of the Philippines Los Baños -National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH) on 18 January 2023 via Google Meet.The focus of the discussion centered on assessing the feasibility and potential mass production of developed biofertilizers, such as K-Solb, Maizinc, Vamri, and Bioplasma. These biofertilizers, produced through a DA-BAR funded project, address nutrient deficiency problems and diseases in crops, such as corn and cassava. All three fertilizers, except Maizinc, have already been registered with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority.Project leader and university researcher, Robert A. Nepomucheno, said that UPLB-Biotech has already submitted a proposal for the mass production of Maizinc and K-SolB. He also highlighted the interventions contained in their proposal.He also mentioned that the established mixing plants established in DA-Regional Field Offices (RFOs) can consider mass-producing the biofertilizers.Artemio M. Salazar, one of the corn experts, has recommended that the biofertilizers undergo the Site-Specific Nutrient Management approach (SSNM) in DA-RFOs to gather detailed data on their effectiveness and compatibility. SSNM is a plant-based approach that can provide guidelines for the effective utilization of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, which are among the main functions of the developed biofertilizers.“…Kapag nakita na natin yung effectivity niya through SSNM, ilalagay naman natin sa mga existing techno-demos ng DA Operations, pagkatapos ilalagay na natin sa mga model farm,” said Salazar.A biocompatibility study between these biofertilizers was also recommended by the corn experts to determine if users can use these biofertilizers simultaneously.During the evaluation of the products, corn experts Salazar and Candido Damo, agreed with DA-BAR focals to delve into the potential establishment of policies governing the commercialization and utilization of DA-BAR funded projects, including these biofertilizers from BIOTECH. A follow up meeting is  scheduled in February 2024 to discuss the matter.

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Jan 12, 2023

MD2 pineapple variety introduced in Camarines Norte

Developed sixty years ago to satisfy the demand for pineapple that is not only sweet but also uniform and consistent in size, MD2 —named after Millie Dillard, the wife of the former general manager of Del Monte— has since been cultivated in various tropical countries. Aside from its good eating qualities, this variety is also packed with higher vitamin C content and has a longer shelf life than other pineapple varieties.The DA-Camarines Norte Lowland Rainfed Research Station (CNLRRS) introduced MD2, primarily grown in Mindanao, to six municipalities in Camarines Norte through a project funded by DA-BAR during the prolonged series of lockdowns imposed to curb the spread of the COVID-19. Perhaps the most pressing challenge back then, next to the concrete plans on addressing the local transmission of the virus, was the stability and sufficiency of our food supply. One of the many solutions that DA undertook to address this is to ensure that the supply of quality planting materials remains steady and accessible.In response, DA-BAR funded various projects to intensify the mass production of quality planting materials through mass propagation techniques and protocols of various high value crops across the country. One of which was the planting materials of pineapple in Camarines Norte.On 12 January 2023, project leader Engr. Bella B. Frias of DA-CNLRRS reported the accomplishments of their project on mass propagation of quality planting materials of two pineapple varieties, Queen and MD2, to the DA-BAR monitoring team.“Nakapag-produce tayo ng 15,000 pieces na macropropagated MD2 variety at 7,000 pieces tissue cultured Queen pineapple. Nakapagpagawa tayo ng nursery para sa ating planting materials, nakapag-develop at nakapag-imprenta ng 500 pieces na IEC materials [ukol sa] technology transfer,” she said.“Nakapag-conduct ng anim na training  mula sa pag-produce ng planting materials, pineapple production, financial viability hanggang sa pagma-market ng pinya. Nakapag-establish na rin tayo ng technology demonstration [farms] sa atin mga beneficiaries na sampung farmers at dalawang kooperatiba,” she further added.Beneficiaries of the projects are the Labo Progressive Multipurpose Cooperative and Camarines Norte Primary Cooperative, as well as two individual farmers in Mercedes, three in San Lorenzo Ruiz, two in San Vicente, and three in Basud.A tripartite Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between DA-Bicol Region, local government units (LGU), and farmer cooperatives stating their duties and responsibility for the sustainability of the project will be done. Stipulated in the MOA is the roll over scheme wherein farmer-beneficiaries will return a corresponding number of planting materials per received pineapple suckers. These suckers will be given to other interested pineapple growers to ensure the availability and security of the quality planting materials. The collection of this repayment will be facilitated by the corresponding LGU where the site has been established.DA-CNLRRS will continuously produce quality planting materials on station to ensure the availability of the planting materials to be given to interested growers.