Puerto Princesa, PALAWAN – The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) recently conducted a two-day review for the programs and projects under the cacao and rubber research and development (R&D) initiatives.
A program review is one of the council’s mechanisms to monitor and evaluate ongoing and completed R&D programs and projects. Researchers from various state universities and colleges (SUCs) and agencies across the country converged at the Western Philippines University (WPU) to discuss the state of rubber and cacao R&D programs and projects funded by the Council.
Dr. Elsa P. Manarpaac, President of WPU, appreciated the conduct of the annual Cacao and Rubber Program Review and the support of the Council because cacao and rubber are considered as priority crops in the province of Palawan.
Among the topics discussed were the assessment of rubber and cacao through geographic information system (GIS), rubber nanosensor for determining quality rubber cup lumps, DNA fingerprinting of rubber clones, management strategies for rubber tree diseases, cacao bean sensor for quality measurement, cacao pod husks as fuel briquettes, and the cacao pest management program. Also included in the review were the budget utilization and other administrative concerns.
In addition, some of the significant accomplishments presented were the establishment of rubber nurseries and budwood gardens, development of biofertilizers, production of rubber nanosensor and cacao bean sensor, development of fuel briquettes from cacao pod husks, and identification of various insect pests as biological control agents for cacao.
Dr. Leila C. America, Director of the Forestry and Environment Research Division (FERD) under DOST-PCAARRD commended the researchers under the rubber and cacao R&D programs and projects for presenting quality outputs and accomplishments