Australia and Philippines partner anew for agricultural research and development (R&D).
Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) was recently appointed as a member of the Policy Advisory Council (PAC) of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
The ACIAR PAC plays a key role in the planning and implementation of ACIAR’s international agricultural research portfolio. It also provides advice to Australia’s Foreign Minister on problems in the agriculture sector of developing countries and on the appropriate policies and programs to address the problems.
Ebora was appointed by the Australian Government through its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorable. Marise Payne. He was also appointed for his role and contribution in the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector. Ebora will serve as member of the ACIAR PAC for three years.
Effective July 17, 2020, Ebora will have the opportunity to ensure that concerns of the Philippine AANR sector will be considered in the agricultural research portfolio of ACIAR to consequently benefit our country’s research agencies, universities, farmers’ organizations, and other stakeholders in the private sector. It will also be a strategic venue for Ebora to share the Philippines’ experience and learn from Australia’s best practices in addressing agricultural issues and opportunities faced by small-holder farmers and fisherfolk.
PCAARRD and ACIAR havebeen strong partners for more than 36 years in terms of agricultural R&D and in promoting R&D results to advance agricultural competitiveness.
The partnership also strengthens the policy system and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the PCAARRD-ACIAR joint projects and programs. To date, PCAARRD and ACIAR continue to share a common objective to reduce poverty and concomitant hunger problems by investing in agricultural R&D.