Winners of the National Symposium on Agriculture and Resources Research and Development (NSARRD) were revealed on November 9 at the Intercontinental Manila, Makati City.
Winners of the National Symposium on Agriculture and Resources Research and Development (NSARRD) were revealed on November 9 at the Intercontinental Manila, Makati City.
For the research category, winning the top prize was “Inventory and conservation of endangered, endemic, and economically important flora of Hamiguitan range and its environs” of the Central Mindanao University and Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology. These are member-agencies of the Northern Mindanao Consortium for Agriculture and Resources Research and Development. “Aerobic rice technology in rainfed areas of Bulacan” of the Tarlac College of Agriculture, International Rice Research Institute, and National Soil and Water Resources Research and Development Center from the Central Luzon Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (CLARRDEC) came in second. “Improving productivity of unmanaged kawayan tinik plantation for quality poles and shoots” of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) from Ilocos Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (ILARRDEC) bagged the third slot.
For the development category, the top plum was won by “Kawayan briquette technology”, again of MMSU from ILARRDEC. “Towards a sustainable semi-temperate vegetable production: Characterization and propagation of indigenous vegetables of the highland Cordilleras” of the Benguet State University from the Highland Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium finished second. “Enhancing the technical capability of agrarian community beneficiaries on postharvest technology and enterprise development” of the Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension from CLARRDEC won third place.
Helping PCARRD choose the winners was an external committee led by Dr. William C. Medrano, executive director of the Commission on Higher Education. Members of the committee included Dr. Ramon A. Razal of the Forest and Natural Resources Research Society of the Philippines, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Baños (CFNR-UPLB); Dr. Daylinda Banzon-Cabanilla of the Department of Social Forestry, CFNR-UPLB; and Dr. Teodora O. Dizon, president of the Pest Management Council of the Philippines, Institute of Plant Breeding, UPLB.
PCARRD conducts the NSARRD annually to provide a venue for presenting and disseminating at the national level the most outstanding R&D outputs generated by our network member-agencies.
PCARRD Executive Director Patricio S. Faylon opened the symposium and his speech, he said that the “NSARRD is one of PCARRD’s way of motivating scientists and researchers to strive for excellence in R&D by giving additional incentives to those who write the best paper.”
Delivering the keynote speech during the affair was Mr. Meneleo J. Carlos, Jr., chair of the Federation of Philippine Industries. Carlos highlighted the importance of communicating clearly and accurately “whether the work is basic or applied research or an engineering study.” He emphasized that “effective communications or sound writing as the essence of good marketing. Because no matter how good a work we do, it is essential that the results be communicated to our target market.”
NSARRD is one of the major highlights of PCARRD’s 35th anniversary celebration.