Two Korean researchers from the National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), Rural Development Administration (RDA), visited the Philippines recently.
Dr. Park, Sung-ho and Dr. Kim, Sung-kook, rice and corn experts, respectively, are part of the Exchange Scientists/Experts Mission Program under the 2014 Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD)-RDA Work Plan of Cooperation.
The two Korean experts had consultative meetings at different agencies and organizations in the Philippines, including, among others, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Philippine Maize Federation, Incorporated, (PhilMaize), Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), Philippine Statistical Authority, Department of Agriculture (DA) Central Office, National Food Authority (NFA), and the Korea Project on International Agriculture (KOPIA) Center-Philippines.
Officials and staff of the said organizations presented their rice- and corn-related programs, activities, and products. These support the priority areas of the mission, which are basic survey on supply system of corn seed and corn consumption, and basic survey on consumption behavior of rice and rice distribution system.
On the other hand, Philippine counterpart on rice, Dr. Agham C. Cuevas, Associate Professor from the Department of Economics (DE), College of Economics and Management (CEM), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), and on corn, Ms. Aleta Belissa D. Correa of the Socio-Economics Research Division (SERD), PCAARRD, had their 10-day visit to Korea on July 7 to 16.
Dr. Cuevas and Ms. Correa visited the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), Seoul National University (SNU), Maize Research Institute, and RDA offices such as the Farm and Agribusiness Management Division, the International Technology Cooperation Center (ITCC), and Technology Services Division of NICS. Also visited were rice, corn, and livestock farms; farmers’ cooperative; wholesale market; feed mill; and rice and corn processing companies.
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With rice and corn as the major crops planted and consumed by the Filipinos, the exchange scientist/experts mission program provided an opportunity for exchange of information between the two countries, and formulation of strategies and policy recommendations for the Philippines’ rice and corn supply, distribution, and consumption system.