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NEWS & EVENTS

Mar 02, 2023

Ubi production empowers Aytas in Zambales and Pampanga

Purple yam has been a staple in Filipino desserts, pastries, and snacks, from the classic halayang ubi to the avant-garde ubi taho or champorado. In late 2019, the Religious of the Good Shepherd announced that they will be selling “white” ubi jams instead of the usual hue due to shortage of purple yam supply. This might be one of the instances that highlighted the gap between its demand and local production.In Central Luzon, purple yam is mainly sourced from the local production of the indigenous peoples in Zambales and Pampanga. This root crop has  high tolerance to stress and drought. However, the existing farmer’s practice cannot fully maximize their local production. They usually plant ubi in small patches of land and manage it only through their local knowledge, which results in low productivity.To assist and empower selected ubi farming indigenous peoples in the said provinces, DA-Central Luzon Integrated Agricultural Research Center for Upland Development (CLIARC-UD) spearheaded a community development program. Funded by DA-BAR, the project aims to increase the ubi yield and income of the IP farmers, as well as link three IP farmers’ groups to institutional buyers like MAYANI. DA-CLIARC-UD trained 30 IP farmers on ubi production. They introduced the following technology interventions: 1) use of quality planting materials and recommended varieties PSB VU-2 (Zambal) and PRA-35 (Kinampay), 2) cropping calendar from May to February, 3) use of ubi production guide developed by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, and 4) soil analysis as basis for fertilizer application.“Malaking pagkakaiba sa [pagtatanim namin] noon at sa ngayon kasi naka-arrange na ang pagtatanim. Hindi gaya dati may tanim ka rito may tanim ka doon,” said farmer-partner Benzon S. King Jr. when asked about the differences between their local practice and the technology intervention introduced through the project.King is a member of the Sama-sama sa Kaunlaran para sa Pagsulong ng Barangay Ayta Inararo, Inc., one of the farmer cooperatives and associations tapped in the project. The other two are the Lupon ng Itanglew sa Ganap na Asenso and Ayta Sambunga Farmer Association. Through the project, DA-CLIARC-UD has procured 17,000 planting materials which were distributed to the farmers.While the project initially aims to link them to institutional buyers, project leader Dr. Emily A. Soriano shared during the project monitoring on 15 February 2023 that the IP farmers asserted their preference to market their own produce because they can dictate the selling price.“Hindi nila problem ang market. Nabebenta nila ang kanilang produkto sa presyong gusto nila. For example, hindi bababa ng PhP 50 [per kilogram pero] nabebenta pa nila hanggang PhP 80 per kilo. Unlike sa area na kinukuhanan ng MAYANI, nasa PhP 20-25 lang ang [per kilo],” she said.She added, “Kaya sabi nila na mas okay na sila ang magma-market ng sarili nilang produkto dahil nakukuha nila ang gusto nilang presyo. Isang ektarya na matamnan nila kumikita sila mula PhP 80,000 to PhP 100,000.”Dr. Soriano also noted that while the project introduced the cropping calendar of May to February, they decided to retain the farmers’ practice of December to November, as it coincides with the holiday season when demand is at its highest.Other activities of the project are the production of good quality planting materials and the development of ubi powder which can be used as base for various pastries and desserts.

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Feb 19, 2024

DA-BAR conducts PCR Review for 2023; prepares plans and budget for 2025

The DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) conducted its 2023 2nd Semester and Annual Performance Commitment and Review (PCR) Assessment Workshop cum 2025 Plan and Budget Workshop for Research for Development (R4D) Grant on 12-16 February 2024 at DAP Conference Center, Tagaytay City, Cavite. Assistant director Joell H. Lales, chairperson of the Performance Management Team (PMT), led the discussion along with other PMT members present during the activity. Division/Unit heads and report officers across all DA-BAR implementing units presented a summary of their 2023 2nd semester and annual performance in terms of physical and financial accomplishments, including challenges encountered and actions taken in line with program and project management.DA-BAR director Junel B. Soriano, in his message, underscored the need to ensure that PAPs are aligned with the directives of the Department Secretary as well as other higher plans such as the Philippine Development Plan, National Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Plan, among others. Further to this, he encouraged bureau staff to revisit the bureau’s R4DE impact pathway as part of the DA-BAR’s direction towards achieving the sectoral goals (from technology development up to impact assessment).Following the PCR Assessment, Division heads from the bureau’s three technical divisions as well as BAR R4D teams presented the proposed 2025 line-up of programs, activities and projects, relative to the preparations of the bureau for its 2025 Plan and Budget Proposal.

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Mar 06, 2023

WE are all important -Lales during the 2023 NWM kick-off ceremony

“WE are all important. Kailangan lang equally mabigyan ng recognition,” said OIC-director Joell H. Lales during the kick-off ceremony of the 2023 National Women’s Month (NWM) celebration at DA-BAR, Quezon City on 6 March.On 8 March, the Women’s Month exhibit featuring the women-partners of DA-BAR funded programs and projects, as well as the HERbook, an interactive board where staff can share their thoughts on this year’s NWM celebration, was launched.This year’s theme, WE for gender equality and inclusive society, focused on how all genders should work together to attain this goal. This will be the new recurring theme for 2023-2028 set by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) which banked on the gains achieved during the 2016-2022 theme, WE Make CHANGE Work for Women, which emphasized the need for compassionate and harmonized networks toward gender equality and women’s empowerment.As such, during the exhibit launch, DA-BAR assistant director Dr. Anthony B. Obligado affirmed the bureau’s commitment to ensure that its stakeholders, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (SOGIE), will benefit from the research for development advancements in the agriculture and fisheries sector. “The bureau remains steadfast in its commitment to provide equal opportunities to the agriculture and fisheries R4D sector by supporting programs, projects, and activities that will empower our stakeholders with research-based information, knowledge, and technologies,” said Dr. Obligado.He also asserted the bureau’s continuous efforts to make the office a gender sensitive community.“As a nation, our fight for a gender equal and inclusive society has a long way to go. While we are trying to dismantle the, hopefully disintegrating, sexist and patriarchal hegemony, the bureau is also committed to providing a conducive and safe space for its staff to unlearn, learn, and relearn knowledge and attitudes on gender equality,” he added.He also reminded everyone that, “The celebration of women’s month is not just about the achievements and contributions of women in the society but also about the fight for equal rights and opportunities for every person regardless of their SOGIE.”The DA-BAR Gender and Development Focal Point System prepared other activities which include the online seminar for stakeholders titled, Corn Open-Pollinated Varieties and the Women behind Café Bagga, on 16 March; as well as two seminars for staff titled, Gender Sensitivity in the Workplace, and Gender-responsive Agriculture and Fisheries Research, on 21 March. Staff were also invited to join the #PurpleWednesdays by wearing purple shirts in support of the PCW campaign.

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Mar 08, 2023

DA-Davao Region, DA-BAR launch coconut-based farming system in Paquibato District

The DA-Davao Region launched a new DA-BAR supported R4D project titled, Establishment of Coconut-based Farming System towards Technology Adoption in Paquibato District, Davao City on 8 March 2023. With the objective of improving the production of old coconut, cacao, and Cardaba banana, the DA-Davao Region shall rehabilitate said commodities through appropriate nutrient and cultural management, and pest and diseases control.This will also allow the farmers to create a viable livelihood with swine and vegetable production, hence increase income and enhance quality of life in a span of 5 to 10 years after project completion.The project also aims to strengthen and capacitate farmer-beneficiaries to ensure the sustainability of cacao and banana rehabilitation through hands-on training and seminars. “Tuloy-tuloy ang project na ito. Magiging maganda ang Cardaba at cacao. Mare-rehab din ang mga coconut farms,” said project leader Grace P. Gutierrez.“We conducted participatory action research to identify the needs of our farmers…Hiningi ito ng mga farmers and from our team– we crafted it into a proposal for funding of DA-BAR,” she added. She also emphasized that the team will focus more on technology intervention, as well as its marketing strategies.Meanwhile, during the program, DA-Davao Region Research Division chief Melani A. Provido inspired the guests and participants. “I hope we will not be discouraged because every day there is hope and optimism,” she said while ensuring farmers that the technology has gone through a series of assessments and research for it to be sustainable.The selected members of the Malabog-Fatima Integrated Farmers’ Association, serving as partner-beneficiaries, received farming supplies such as organic fertilizers, seeds, equipment, and planting materials to start-off technology intervention in coconut farming. Attending the event were DA-Davao Region officials, DA-BAR team spearheaded by Research Coordination Division acting-assistant head Amavel A. Velasco and local government unit representatives, and identified farmer-beneficiaries.“DA-BAR has funded the project to support the needs of our farmer-partners, [we] hope for the success of your future endeavors,” said Velasco during the closing ceremony. She also emphasized that DA-BAR is a research-coordinating agency supporting the R4D initiatives in the agricultural sector in the Philippines.

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Mar 08, 2023

Establishing edible landscaping demo gardens for community food self-sufficiency

Attaining food self-sufficiency in the communities through urban and peri-urban agriculture is now made beautiful and sexier with the introduction of the Edible Landscaping Technology through a project being implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños Edible Landscaping (UPLB-EL) Team.In a simple ceremony on 8 March 2023 at the DA-Bicol Region Office, Pili, Camarines Sur, the UPLB EL Team turned over an EL demo garden to the regional office to inspire and train nearby communities on EL garden management. DA-Bicol Region Field Operations Division chief Dr. Mary Grace DP. Rodriguez, in her welcome remarks, said that the DA-Bicol edible landscaping before is just like a simple natad or bakuran (backyard), but because of the EL project, there’s so much improvement. This is one of the ways to make agriculture sexy as what Governor Rex Lagman encourages his constituents. Funded by the DA-BAR, the project titled “Enhancing Regional Capacities on Urban Agriculture towards Nutrition-sensitive Crop Production through Edible Landscaping” led by Dr. Fernando C. Sanchez, Jr. will also enable the establishment of demo gardens in DA-Cagayan Valley and MIMAROPA to capacitate DA regional offices and ultimately the local communities on edible landscaping.As partner agency, DA-BAR OIC-director Joell Lales underscored the importance of propagating the EL gardens to as many communities as it possibly can and sustain these kinds of initiatives to benefit more people in the community, further intensifying UPLB EL team’s efforts to promote the adoption of the EL technology throughout the country.“To innovate the traditional landscaping toward a pursuit that generates more social impact and benefit by combining aesthetics with that of complementing food security at the level of communities and focusing on urban and peri urban settings, ay napakaganda. But I think the more important thing that we need to pursue beyond setting up of demo gardens is to really open this kind of opportunities to our communities to learn, kailangan talaga i-propagate natin, i-sustain para mas maraming makinabang sa ating mga kakomunidad.” said OIC-director Lales.In his acceptance speech, DA-Bicol Region regional executive director Rodel Tornilla said that edible landscaping can result in four things: aesthetics, functionality, health and wellness and self-sufficiency.“Please be assured that we will work on this project so that it will become successful and sustainable, that more households, local government units and institutions will benefit from it in the near future and in the long run,” director Tornilla remarked.The DA-BAR team also visited Dolor’s Serenity Integrated Farm, a backyard edible garden owned by couple Jose and Myrna Dolor who adopted the EL technology giving them vegetable harvests more than enough for their daily needs. Dolor is the project leader of Pacul Magsasaka Prime Community in Naga City, a coop beneficiary of EL technology.“Bukod po sa pang araw-araw naming pagkain, naibebenta rin po namin ang sobrang ani namin. Minsan nakakabenta kami ng humigit kumulang sa PhP 500 sa isang araw mula sa ani naming ampalaya, sitaw, talong at kamatis, kasama na po yung tilapia sa fishpond,” Dolor shared.The couple has a tilapia pond below their makeshift plant nursery beside their edible landscape garden. 

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Mar 01, 2023

DA, DILG launch HAPAG KAY PBBM to address food security in barangays

Philippine President and Agriculture Secretary Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Interior and Local Government Secretary Atty. Benjamin C. Abalos led the launching and ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Understanding of the Halina't Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay Kadiwa'y Yaman Plants for Bountiful Barangays Movement (HAPAG KAY PBBM) program on 1 March 2023 at the Open-Air Auditorium, Rizal Park, Manila.Anchored on fulfilling the administration’s thrust to address hunger and achieve food security in the country, the HAPAG KAY PBBM merges the Department of Interior and Local Government’s HAPAG sa Barangay project and the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Green Revolution 2.0: Plants for Bountiful Barangays Movement.“As this initiative consolidates the program of these two agencies in urban agriculture, I am confident that we will further increase our capacity to take part in our goal to address poverty and ensure food security and protect the environment even at the barangay level,” President Marcos Jr. underscored.Further, DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban emphasized how the program shall strengthen the capacities of barangays in increasing access to fresh, safe, and affordable produce through household and community gardening.“The department, through this movement, seeks to turn communities into patches of green edible landscapes and improve the nutrition of the Filipinos,” he added.The newly launched program promotes adoption of sustainable urban agricultural technologies such as aeroponics, aquaponics, container gardening, hydroponics, square-foot gardening, and vertical gardening in urban and peri-urban areas. Two of the said technologies are showcased through the exhibited Edible Landscaping Garden supported under a DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research-funded project. Officials and staff of the DA- BAR, led by OIC-director Joell H. Lales, and other DA attached agencies and staff bureaus, local government units, state universities and colleges, and private sector representatives showed support and participation in the launching activities