Recognizing the urgent need to harmonize their services for the benefit of the agriculture and fisheries sector, the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) and Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Collaborative Research for Development (R4D) and Innovation Sharing on 10 November 2023 in Los Baños, Laguna.

Signing the MOU were DA-BAR director Junel B. Soriano and DOST-PCAARRD executive director Reynaldo V. Ebora. Standing in witness were DA-BAR assistant director Joell H. Lales and DOST-PCAARRD deputy executive directors Melvin B. Carlos and Juanito T. Batalon.

Officials of both organizations convened in the afternoon to discuss following: 1) Identification of common collaborative activities from respective S&T and R4D thrusts and agenda that would address critical agriculture and fisheries sectoral challenges; 2) Technology scaling, transfer, and promotion; 3) Institutional development; and 4) Strengthening complementation between the Agriculture and Fisheries Resources Research and Extension for Development Network (AFRREDN) and the DOST-PCAARRD Regional Consortia within the context of improving the productivity and competitiveness of the Agriculture and Fisheries sector.