LOOK: In line with the goal to accelerate climate change resilience in agriculture, natural resources, and the environment in the Philippines, the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and NIRAS convened on 6 September 2023 at DA-BAR, Diliman, Quezon City to discuss support for the bureau's policy reform agenda in line with the DA-Climate Change Action Program.

Through the Agriculture, Food, Nature, and Rural Development Sector Office of the ADB Technical Assistance (TA), climate-smart agricultural technologies are expected to be developed in crop, livestock, and fisheries subsectors. Further to this is the crafting of a TA workplan for implementing the research for development (R4D) on abaca value chain, seaweed, and livestock. 

The said TA is complementary to and linked to a separate TA which is focused on conducting advocacy study for an increased R4D budget and providing R4D support for climate-smart agricultural technologies. It will be provided to DA-BAR by the Agence Francaise de Developppement (AFD) through the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD).

Key officials and Climate Change R4D program coordinators of the bureau led by DA-BAR director Junel B. Soriano; Technical Assistance Program Coordinator Dr. Lourdes Adriano, Principal Specialist Dr. Omer Zafar, and Development Planning Specialist Cesar Umali Jr., all from ADB; and NIRAS Regional Director and Technical Assistance Project Director Antti Inkinen participated in the meeting.

An inception meeting, to be attended by NIRAS, ADB, and TA implementing agencies (DA, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation), is scheduled on 8 September 2023. This will provide a venue to finetune the activities and expected output of the program, hence, level off of roles of the research development institutions.