BAR R&D projects benefit agribusiness

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) recently introduced its latest research and development programs for various agribusiness sectors.  

“Many of the bureau’s R&D projects align with our need to develop crops that can withstand the logistical and phytosanitary requirements as we move towards promoting Philippine agricultural products in the wider, global market. With the right technology that will help nurture these crops, we can also address the challenges of seasonal supply and climate change,” said Nicomedes Eleazar, BAR director.

Among these projects is a collaborative project on banana led by global R&D organization, Bioversity International. This led to the introduction of the improve giant cavendish tissue culture variant 219 in Davao where banana is being grown abundantly.

GCTCV 219 is a highly resistant variety against the banana disease Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4.

Another project, being implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños, involves field trial evaluation and technology piloting of new papaya F1 hybrids that are tolerant to papaya ringspot virus which is considered as one of the biggest constraints to papaya production in the country.

Realizing the importance of post-harvest facilities in ensuring the quality of the farmers and fishers’ produce, BAR has also provided support for the development of different post-harvest equipment. These include, among others, the cassava belt dryer of the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) that was designed to contribute to the increase in the volume of cassava production and improve its output recovery. Both have also embarked on the development of post-production systems that will produce dry, clean, and sorted soybeans including processing systems for different levels of processing operations for soybean and soymilk-based products.

The bureau also supported Cavite State University’s creation of a practical and user-friendly microcontroller-based coffee roasting machine, and Cagayan Valley’s adlay milling machine that makes the processing of adlay grains into grits easier.

Apart from these technologies, the agency is also set to showcase its supported researches from its two banner programs, the Community-based Participatory Action Research (CPAR) and the National Technology Commercialization Program (NTCP). The CPAR program is a location-specific research cum extension activity that focuses on improving farming system technologies for specific  micro agro-climatic  environment within a province or municipality. It merges research initiatives and the involvement of farmer and fisherfolk cooperators in the implementation of projects in different regions of the country.

The NTCP, on the other hand, ensures the proper transfer of mature technologies for adoption and utilization of farmers and fisherfolks. It serves as a vital tool for the development of agriculture- and fisheries-related enterprises.