The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) joined the 3rd Global Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship (GAME) Conference on November 18-19, 2021.
With the theme, “Breaking the Mold: Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship in the Face of Disruptive Forces,” the conference aimed to bring together stakeholders from agricultural and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to tackle the disruptive factors affecting the sectors and to share ideas on viable strategies and entry points that might enable them to expand and prosper amidst the pandemic.
DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña served as one of the panel discussants on the topic, “Adapting Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship Education and Research in Disruptive Times.” He highlighted the initiatives of DOST in supporting agribusiness and entrepreneurship education and research through strategic research and development (R&D), capacity building, technology transfer modalities, and enterprise development. Moreover, he emphasized the DOST-PCAARRD Technology and Innovation Center (DPTIC), which aims to provide an optimal environment for inventors, innovators, and investors towards accelerating innovations.
Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director, represented Sec. de la Peña in the open forum where he answered questions regarding digital agriculture, agribusiness, agribusiness education, and artificial intelligence. He elaborated that the R&D sector can offer training and other capacity-building activities to promote the use of digital agriculture.
PCAARRD also sponsored and hosted the parallel session, "Harnessing the Potential of Agriculture-, Aquatic-, and Forest-based Industries," where findings from eight PCAARRD-funded projects on market competitiveness, marketing and trade, supply and value chain analysis, and innovative, inclusive and sustainable business models of the agriculture and aquatic industries were featured. The sessions were chaired by Ms. Meliza F. Abeleda and Ms. Princess Alma Ani of the Socio-Economics Research Division.
The conference, which was co-organized by the Department of Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), is organized in accordance with the current priorities of the agriculture, aquatic and natural resources (AANR) sector of the Harmonized National R&D Agenda (HNRDA). DOST-PCAARRD has been granting augmentation funding to competent professional, scientific, and academic organizations that work to further the Council's advocacies, banner programs, and objectives (Polianne G. Tiamson and Rebeka A. Paller, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services).