Aimed at crafting and implementing a comprehensive research for development (R4D) plans towards a strengthened and resilient R4D system, the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) conducted the Second Advisory Board for Research for Development (ABR4D) Meeting on 25 August 2021 via Cisco Webex.
The said meeting provided a venue to present the plans, programs, and activity updates of DA-BAR—to which the board members composed of officials and representatives from various public and private sector were sought with guidance and recommendations for the continuous improvement of the bureau.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar, ABR4D chair, presented the OneDA Reform Agenda during the said meeting. The said framework focuses on the four pillars, which are consolidation, modernization, industrialization, and professionalization.
DA-BAR director Dr. Vivencio Mamaril led the presentation of the bureau’s Transformative R4D Framework, as well as the R4D program priorities aligned to the OneDA approach.
Raymond Patrick Cabrera, DA-BAR Research Program Development Division head presented the bureau’s new R4D priorities, as well as the major guidelines for packaging R4D projects. This was followed by a presentation by DA-BAR Research Coordination Division head Dr. Anthony Obligado on the DA-BAR-funded technologies ready for scaling.
DA Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Research Fermin Adriano, ABR4D co-chair; DA Undersecretary and Chief-of-Staff Dr. Leocadio Sebastian, together with the members of the board provided guidance and laid down various recommendations.
Among the key recommendations are the need to further strengthen the R4D prioritization process by identifying the needs of the sector; to include champion commodities with good export potential; to strengthen support to commercialization and scaling; and to strengthen linkage with the private sector, among others.
Upon receiving observations and recommendations from the group, director Mamaril and assistant director Joell Lales commit to comply with the instructions and to exercise due diligence in selecting research proposals to be funded.
In 2020, Secretary Dar issued a Special Order for the creation of the ABR4D with a goal to elevate and sustain the quality of R4D plans and programs toward a more proactive and innovative contributory enabler towards inclusive agribusiness.