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.