The 13th AARNET steering committee hosted by the Philippines this year for three-days included the visit to the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD).

 

The ASEAN-AVRDC’s AARNET is composed of 10 ASEAN countries initiated to improve efficiency in agriculture research specifically on vegetables. The countries composing the group are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam in collaboration with AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center, Taiwan.

 

Dr. Edwin C. Villar, PCAARRD Acting Deputy Executive Director for R&D, welcomed the visitors headed by AARNET Chairman Dr. Leong Hon Keong and officers from AVRDC, Taiwan.

Dr. Villar gave a brief introduction of PCAARRD and its mandate and past partnership made with AVRC, He also mentioned PCAARRD’s current initiatives on recording/documenting indigenous vegetables in the Philippines in a publication which will soon be available for farmers.

 

Noel A. Catibog, Center Manager of DPITC and OIC Director of Technology Transfer and Promotion Division (TTPD), PCAARRD, on the other hand, presented an overview of the DPITC. He discussed DPITC’s functions—its role in technology transfer and commercialization; the services it offers to various clients and; the partnerships and networks it maintains and establishes among research and development institutions (RDIs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and other relevant stakeholders.

Dr. Jocelyn E. Eusebio, Director of Crops Research Division (CRD), PCAARRD, highlighted the accomplishments, current initiatives, and R&D programs of vegetables. She also talked about CRD’s ongoing projects and target outcomes such as increasing vegetable yield in various projects being implemented.

 

Dr. Villar likewise mentioned PCAARRD’s current initiatives on recording/documenting indigenous vegetables in the Philippines in a publication which will soon be available for farmers.

Dr. Villar, Mr. Catibog, Dr. Eusebio, and Ms. Leilani D. Pelegrina, Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP) Manager in Vegetables, answered the visitors’ questions during the open forum.

The visitors were toured around the DPITC exhibit area and the PCAARRD-BPI Seeds and Seedling Plaza.

 

Dr. Hermenigilda A. Gabertan, Center Chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry-Los Banos National Crop Research, Development and Production Support Center (BPI-LBNCRDPSC) thanked PCAARRD in providing comprehensive information for the AARNET visitors. (PSciJourn MegaManila).