To further discuss the technology transfer mechanisms between two agencies of the Department of Agriculture (DA): the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) and the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), DA-BAR hosted the follow-through meeting held on 10 February 2021 at Diliman, Quezon City.
The meeting underscored the importance of establishing and institutionalizing mechanisms on how the two agencies will complement its roles in line with the Department’s research for development and extension (R4DE) programs and activities.
Further to this, is ensuring that generated technologies and research results will be usable and readily accessible by farmers and clientele.
Discussions took off from the outputs of the conducted RDE Complementation Workshop held in 2018.
DA-ATI assistant director Dr. Rosana P. Mula shared her appreciation on the initial works between DA-BAR and DA-ATI in the past years. She envisions that these “bits and pieces” will make the partnership really meaningful and towards the development of the kind of impact the Department of Agriculture wants to happen.
This is seconded by DA-BAR assistant director Joell H. Lales to strengthen linkages in the R4DE continuum.
In the past, DA-BAR and DA-ATI have established partnerships in a number of programs and activities. These include development of online courses in the e-Learning component of the e-Extension Program, provision of IEC materials produced by DA-BAR in DA-ATI’s FITS Centers, among others. Also, said agencies together with the Manila Bulletin have featured various technologies in AgriTalk.
Future steps will revolve in harmonizing functions and responsibilities through an established operational framework and creation of the Technical Working Group. Further, it is hoped that partnerships will be imbedded from program development, project evaluation, monitoring and evaluation down to transferring outputs of research supported by DA-BAR.