Officials from the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), headed by YBhg. Datuk Dr. Mohamad Roff bin Mohd Noor, Director General (DG), visited the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) on June 26, 2019.
MARDI is a statutory body under the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry conducting research in agriculture, food, and agro-based industries.
Along with Dr. Mohamad Roff are Mr. Mohd Rashid bin Rabu, Director, Governance & Legal Centre; Ms. Nur Aida Mohd Padzil, International Networking Programme, Corporate Communication Centre; and Mrs. Datin Rahmah Hussin, wife of Dr. Roff.
The visit was to formalize the ceremonial signing of the PCAARRD-MARDI Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as well as to discuss its work plan of cooperation from 2019 to 2024. To maximize the visit, the MARDI team also visited other agriculture-related agencies in Los Baños including the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), National Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology (UPLB-BIOTECH), and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). They also conducted a benchmarking mission on coconut at the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) - Region IVA in Lucena City.
The PCAARRD Directors’ Council (DC) members and representatives, led by its Acting Executive Director Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, welcomed Dr. Mohamad Roff and other delegates from MARDI. They were toured at the S&T Promotion Hub of the DOST-PCAARRD Innovation and Technology Center (DPITC) and the Seeds and Seedlings Plaza SciCAT Farm Tourism Site, which is a project of PCAARRD with Bureau of Plant Industry-Los Baños National Crop Research, Development and Production Support Center (BPI-LBNCRDPSC).
Technologies and innovations generated from R&D projects implemented by PCAARRD’s partners in the AANR sector were showcased during the tour. A formal welcome, briefing, and MOU signing ceremony followed after.
Dr. Ebora briefly shared the partnership history of PCAARRD and MARDI, which started in 1975 when a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed in Kuala Lumpur by the former Philippine Council for Agricultural Research (PCAR), through its Executive Director, Dr. Joseph C. Madamba; and MARDI, through its DG, Dr. Tan Sri Datuk Hai Mohamad bin Jamil.
He also shared the Philippines’ long history of partnership and collaboration with other Malayan states, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, prior to the birth of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Dr. Ebora assured MARDI’s DG of PCAARRD’s continued support and active cooperation in implementing programs/projects under the MOU.
As a response, Dr. Mohamad Roff shared his excitement to be in the Philippines and in Los Baños as it is his first time to visit the country. He is confident that their visit will be very productive, particularly the discussion regarding the work plan of cooperation for 2019-2024, which is the first step in implementing the MOU.
Both PCAARRD and MARDI committed to work together to achieve the goal on growth and development of agricultural R&D in science and technology.