Anchored on the One Research for Development and Extension Agenda and Programs, the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), in collaboration with University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), streamlined the medium-term priority research for development (R4D) areas during the conduct of the National Agriculture and Fisheries Research for Development and Extension Agenda and Programs (NAFRDEAP) 2023-2028 Integration Workshop, which commenced on 30 August 2022 and concluded on 2 September 2022.

“Allow me to reiterate the importance of ensuring that the [research areas] that will be prioritized for this week's workshop are those that we perceive to generate the most impactful output to the industry and our stakeholders,” said DA-BAR assistant director for Programs Joell H. Lales in his welcome message.

Following the program, Center for Strategic Planning and Policy Studies-UPLB director Dr. Aileen V. Lapitan delivered her opening remarks, focusing on the role of UPLB in providing technical assistance on the determined priorities for the R4D sector with the bureau.

Initial inputs of research areas emanated from the initial data collection with selected R4D partners, outputs of the bureauʼs program and commodity focals in previously conducted Level 1 and Level 2 analyses workshops, regional priorities from the Research Managers’ meeting, as well as the National Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization and Industrialization Plan Research, Development, Extension, and Training Consultation Workshop. 

Taking off from these, a series of breakout sessions were conducted between the program focals and external experts from the UPLB. DA-BAR Planning and Monitoring Unit head Cynthia Remedios V. de Guia then discussed the workshopʼs summary, particularly on the suggested priority research areas gathered from the two-day plenary sessions. She also gave a rundown on the agreements provided by the commodity and cross-cutting focals and experts during the two-day plenary session. 

The outputs derived from this workshop will serve as reference for the upcoming NAFRDEAP 2023-2028 Multi-stakeholder Consultation Workshop with participating R4D partners from the government, non-government organizations, industry partners, and other members of the agriculture and fisheries R4D community. 

To end, DA-BAR director Dr. Sailila E. Abdula expressed his utmost gratitude to DA-BAR staff and UPLB experts for their commitment and support to the R4D sector. 

“Identifying and packaging researchable areas is one way of delivering this commitment. Serving as a guide to our partners in the R4D, the development and integration of the NAFRDEAP paves the way for a more harmonized and strategic agenda setting in the medium-term,” he said. (### Diwa J. Velasquez and Geline Nicole A. Morillo)