The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) received funding support of ₱14.5 million to improve and upgrade their shrimp R&D facilities through the DOST-PCAARRD Facilities Development for the National Agriculture, Aquatic and Resources R&D Network (NAARRDN) Program. The grant will be used for the upgrading of UPV’s existing hatcheries, larval rearing tanks, shrimp aeration systems and seawater intake systems, as well as for the procurement of highly specialized equipment and a generator set for emergency power.
This capability building project supports the ongoing research, “Improvement of the Philippine Penaeus vannamei for Enhanced Growth and White Spot Syndrome Virus Resistance Through Selective Breeding” led by Dr. Rex Ferdinand M. Traifalgar of UP Visayas.
The facilities development program is foreseen not only to help in the shrimp breeding program, but will also enable the facility to be used in other similar researches on shrimp and other fish species, indigenous to the country. Graduate students are also expected to benefit from the upgraded facility.
The Facilities Development for the NAARRDN Program is one of the capability building programs of DOST-PCAARRD aimed at upgrading the R&D facilities and equipment of institutions doing R&D work for the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources sector. Since 2017, more than Php100M has been invested by DOST-PCAARRD to support the program’s various activities.