The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), through the Institution Development Division (IDD) and the Management Information Systems Division (MISD) held the “Training on Preparation and Packaging of Proposal Addressing the Industry Strategic S&T Plans and Programs (ISPs)” online from April 19-23 & 26-30, 2021.
The said training is a regular course offered by IDD, which has been conducted 14 times face-to-face before the pandemic. With the onset of the pandemic in 2020, training courses offered by PCAARRD shifted online. This is the second time that this course is being offered online. The training discusses the project design cycle and project proposal packaging continuum vis-à-vis the identified directions for fundable ISPs or AANR projects.
Participants undertake the steps of analyses and project design stages: preparation of a logical framework matrix, application of results-based project management principles; and outlining a fundable project proposal on AANR. For this training, future thinking was introduced to the participants as a new perspective in developing proposals.
The training was customized to guide participants in developing proposals suited to the priorities of DOST-PCAARRD based on the Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda (HNRDA). The participants were oriented with the HNRDA priorities and the specific directions of the commodity ISPs.
Break-out consultation sessions were conducted with the concerned ISP managers,followed by plenary sessions with expert PCAARRD staff to discuss proposal format, process of proposal approval, and the annual cash-based budgeting system. These topics aim to familiarize the participants with the PCAARRD system that will allow them to plan and identify possible risks and concerns that they may encounter while packaging their proposals.
To ensure that the training objectives are attained, four resource persons from the Institute of Development and Management Governance at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, shared their expertise and facilitated the delivery of the course synchronously. Adjunct Professor Wilfredo B. Carada, led the team, with Dr. Rhea L. Gumasing, Dr. Miriam Caryl DL. Carada, and Prof. Maria Kristina G. Alinsunurin as members.
The following ISP managers also served as resource persons during the training: Ms. Kimberly Zarah B. Locsin for Medicinal Plants; Ms. Faustina C. Baradas for Cacao; Dr. Dalisay E. Cabral for Industrial Tree Plantation; For. John Benrich M. Zuñiga and Dr. Marcelino U. Siladan for Rubber; and Ms. Marites R. Dayo for Poultry. Mr. Eugenio G. Afalla, Jr., Ms. Ma. Josette B. San Luis, and Dir. Susan S. Molina also shared their expertise on various DOST-PCAARRD processes.
Twenty-four National Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development Network (NAARRDN) researchers from Central Mindanao University (CMU); Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office (DA-RFO) CARAGA-IX, PRRI; Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-ERDB); Forest and Wetland Research, Development and Extension Center (FWRDEC); Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU); University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Forestry and Natural Resources (UPLB-CFNR); UPLB-Institute of Crop Science (ICropS); and University of Southern Mindanao (USM) participated in this training course. At the end of the training session, participants were expected to develop proposals on medicinal plants, cacao, industrial tree plantation, rubber, and poultry for possible PCAARRD funding.
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