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NEWS & EVENTS

Jan 29, 2021

Agri chief pursues inclusivity with new ‘12 key strategies’ for agri-fishery

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar welcomed 2021 with 12 new key strategies in a memorandum issued to the entire Department of Agriculture (DA) in January 2021.The strategies aimed to drive the agriculture and fishery sector towards an inclusive growth, fostering an accelerated transformation of the sector into a modern and industrialized one.Dubbed as the “One DA Holistic Approach to Agriculture and Fisheries Transformation,” the said strategies were cross-cutting action plans which aim to help farmers and fishers through the provision of various assistance and implementation of several programs, activities, and projects. New ‘12 key strategies’The first strategy establishes the ‘Bayanihan agri clusters’ (BACs) to streamline support services from the national and local government units (LGUs) for cost-efficient production and better resource management.The Provincial Agricultural and Fisheries Extension Systems (PAFES) will also be institutionalized to initiate concerted efforts among DA, LGUs, academe, and the private sector. PAFES shall bring services closer to stakeholders.Another strategy is the Agri-Industrial Business Corridors (ABCs) which is hoped to open doors for inter-regional and trans-national agriculture and fishery-related business activities.Support to infrastructures is also prioritized, especially the establishment of farm-to-market roads, irrigation systems, postharvest facilities, and storage and processing facilities, among others.Marketing support will also be intensified through the strengthening and expansion of the Kadiwa and e-Kadiwa programs. The strengthening of digital agriculture as part of the Agriculture 4.0 agenda is also part of the new strategies. Automated systems will be utilized to improve farm productivity.Secretary Dar also intends to address concerns on climate change by normalizing regional and provincial climate risk and vulnerability assessments to craft measures on climate risks.DA is also committed to empower and mobilize its partners and stakeholders. Partnerships with LGUs and individuals will continuously be pursued.The strengthening of Philippine agriculture in global trade will also be given priority by boosting top export crops such as coconut and banana, and cacao and coffee which are seen with lots of potentials.For food safety protocols and regulations, control measures particularly for animal and plant diseases will be strengthened. Laboratory and research facilities for building traceability will be prioritized.Further, DA will help agripreneurs, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises, in reducing the costs in complying with regulatory standards of conducting business.Finally, Secretary Dar instructed the department’s communication team to launch various information campaigns to share the success stories of its collaborations and integrated efforts. Harmonized effortsThe DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), as one of DA’s staff bureaus, has committed to anchor its programs, activities, and projects to the One DA approach.DA-BAR has channeled funds to increase productivity and profitability of farming systems by prioritizing support for initiatives that lead to defined farm and industry level application under an inclusive market-oriented agri-business approach.Expansion of high value food products will also be pushed, along with technology upscaling, to stir economic activities.Support to research capacities is continuously being undertaken through DA-BAR’s Research Facility Development Grant program aimed at funding the enhancement of research facilities, and the acquisition of modern equipment to support precision and digital agriculture initiatives.In addition, improved information and communications technology capacities for research initiatives are also eyed. This is still part of the Agriculture 4.0 agenda of DA.The production and availability of quality planting materials and fishery commodities are also targeted. The bureau allotted more than 60 percent of its budget to this initiative, as part of its quick response program to aid farmers and fishers affected by the pandemic.

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Feb 09, 2021

Agribusiness mentorship for the youth rejuvenates agri-fishery sector

In line with the vision of Agriculture Secretary William Dar of engaging the youth into agribusiness, the Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), launched its call for youth interns under the Mentoring and Attracting Youth in Agribusiness (MAYA) program on 9 February 2021 through its social media platform.Part of the agriculture department’s vision of a food-secure and resilient Philippines with empowered and prosperous farmers and fisherfolk are its strategies of mobilizing and involving the youth in agri-fishery enterprises.Funded under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or also known as the Bayanihan 2, the MAYA Program aims to develop committed and innovative agribusiness entrepreneurs. This will then make the younger generation to become the country’s future faces of agriculture and fisheries; hence, next frontliners.It is a six-month internship program to be implemented from March to August 2021, and is open to all young aspiring Filipinos, with ages ranging from 20 to 30 years old.Also part of the qualifications include being a graduate of any four-to-six-year college degree courses, preferably agriculture and fisheries-related. With the massive influx of applicants reaching to 3,703, the online application was immediately closed the following day. Out of the 2,613 qualified applicants during the pre-selection process conducted by the DA-BAR MAYA Program Secretariat, a total of 800 applicants will be hired as MAYA interns.Accepted interns will then be assigned either under the Employment or Entrepreneurial Tracks, and will receive a financial allowance of Php 20,000 per month. Places of assignment include the DA national and regional offices, as well as partner private institutions, among others. At the end of their 24-week internship period, interns with exemplary performance could either be endorsed to pursue a career in the DA or any agri-related agency, or they may avail existing DA loan facilities and project grants to start or support their own agri-fishery business. 

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Dec 16, 2020

Lales designated as new DA-BAR OIC-deputy

With the retirement of former OIC-assistant director Digna L. Sandoval, Mr. Joell H. Lales, Chief Agriculturist, is designated as the new OIC-assistant director of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) through DA Special Order no. 844, series of 2020 signed by Agriculture Secretary William Dar on 16 December 2020.Asst. dir. Lales shared his vision to further support in elevating the DA-BAR’s research for development (R4D) strategies and programs to be better aligned with the DA’s Food Security and Resiliency Framework and the One DA approach.“I share the aspirations of the DA-BAR management and the entire organization in elevating R4D to greater heights as primarily pursued by our Agriculture Secretary—to be more responsive and have a more meaningful pursuit towards generating farm and industry-level applications. I will be extending my full assistance to the best that I can in this capacity to our Director and the entire DA-BAR management in taking stewardship of all BAR supported R4D programs, activities, and projects,” said Asst. Dir. Lales.Prior to his designation, asst. dir. Lales was the chief of the DA-BAR Program Development Division (now Research Program Development Division), for almost a decade, from 2011 to 2020.  He also served as the bureau’s Planning Officer from 2006-2010. 

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Jan 04, 2021

DA-BAR streamlines its organizational structure

In line with the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) efforts to efficiently implement agriculture and fishery programs, the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) streamlined its organizational structure effective 4 January 2021.The rebooting was opportune as DA recently implemented the 12 key strategies under the “One DA” holistic framework and inclusive approach  which aims to reach a 2.5 percent growth target for the sector by year end.At the helm were Dr. Vivencio R. Mamaril, the new DA-BAR director, and Joell H. Lales, as the bureau’s new OIC-assistant director. Lales, formerly DA-BAR-Program Development Division head, replaced Digna L. Sandoval who opted to retire early.The bureau will be working under its three divisions: Research Program Development Division (RPDD), Research Coordination Division (RCD), and Knowledge Management and Information Systems Division (KMISD).RPDD is in charge of planning, formulation, and updating of national and regional RDE agenda and program as well as facilitating the review, evaluation, and funding of project proposals.Raymond Patrick L. Cabrera and Cynthia Remedios V. De Guia will serve as acting-division head and OIC-assistant division head, respectively.RCD will coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the implementation of agriculture and fishery RDE projects and activities. Anthony B. Obligado, head; and Julia A. Lapitan, assistant head, will lead the division’s four sections. KMISD is responsible for translating RDE outputs into useful knowledge products and services and enhancing access to scientific literature and information exchange with the National Research and Development System in Agriculture and Fisheries institutions and organizations.Salvacion M. Ritual as head and Evelyn H. Juanillo as assistant head will be on top for the division.Meanwhile, the administrative support services of the bureau will be under the leadership of the bureau’s assistant director. The organizational reboot was based on the Department of Budget and Management-approved rationalization plan of the bureau. 

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Jan 28, 2021

DA races against time, rolls out plan against fall armyworm

The Department of Agriculture (DA) swiftly moved to help farmers nationwide combat fall armyworm (FAW) by enlisting researchers of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) on 28 January 2021 at the National Crop Protection Center (NCPC), Los Baños, Laguna.Dr. Leocadio Sebastian, chief of staff and DA undersecretary, with the help from the leading entomologists of the university, identified research gaps and potentials to better devise management strategies against FAW.Research needs identified include better ways to lure or catch FAW, crop diversification strategies, and field sanitation initiatives.Training protocols for farmers on the management of FAW were also seen pertinent, helping in the early identification of infestations on the field.In 2020, the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) supported two UPLB research initiatives on FAW management.One project aims to explore the use of biological control agents against true armyworm, onion armyworm, and fall armyworm.The technology which would be developed from the said project will serve as a better and safer option for FAW management, particularly for corn and onion farmers, while also advocating the reduced use of chemical insecticides.Meanwhile, another project focuses on the development of lures and traps for fall armyworms using pheromones.The said pheromones will be used for monitoring, trapping, attracting, and killing fall armyworms.The project targets to produce locally developed pheromone blends and lures that are cost-effective.Six new research proposals were submitted to DA-BAR during the said meeting. DA-BAR director Dr. Vivencio Mamaril called for urgent measures to mitigate the pest in time for summer. 

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Jan 28, 2021

BAR supports smart cultivation technologies to expand urban agriculture

Following the directions and strategies of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar to continuously make the agri-fishery sector resilient under the New Normal, the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) and the DA-Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), support the establishments of smart cultivation technologies producing crops all-year-round suitable for urban setting.On January 28, during the 91st Founding Anniversary of DA-BPI, Secretary Dar led the groundbreaking of controlled environment agriculture technologies, namely: Smart Green House and Indoor Cultivation System, both of which are part of BPI’s “Surviving and Rebooting Agriculture in the City as Urban Farming” project. Both cultivation technologies use controlled microclimate conditions suitable for growing crops all-year-round They also make use of vacant indoor spaces productive making them suitable urban areas producing crops that are fresh and pesticide-free. Secretary Dar, in his speech, instructed DA-BPI to include community gardening in various schools, barangays, and subdivisions nationwide as it expands the implementation of DA’s urban agriculture under the umbrella Plant, Plant, Plant program.He added that urban agriculture is one way to mitigate high food prices by providing Filipino households with fresh vegetables produced right in their backyard and community gardens. It is also an effective strategy to improve food availability and accessibility and attain food security.Also inaugurated were the Tissue Culture Laboratory and National Mushroom Culture Laboratory and Training Facility.The Tissue Culture Laboratory, funded by DA-BAR, serves as an in-vitro gene bank to ensure the production of clean, quality, and disease-free planting materials of different high-value crops through rapid multiplication.While the Mushroom Culture Laboratory is established to ensure the production of high-quality mushroom cultures and planting spawns.