Twenty ten is a celebration of life, a celebration of biodiversity. The United Nations declared this year as the International Year of Biodiversity (Resolution 61/203) with the target of reducing the rate of biodiversity loss.
The Philippines is actively taking a part in this celebration. The Philippines, also a megadiversity center, has a lot to celebrate for. Filipinos recognize that the planet and the country we live in abound with biological resources that we use to supply our basic needs for survival.
Thus, PCARRD, in cooperation with Bioversity International, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) join hands to conduct the National Seminar-Workshop on the State of Philippine Plant Diversity on October 7─8, at SEARCA, College, Laguna.
The event will focus on increasing public awareness, emphasizing the role and importance of plant diversity to human well-being and progress, poverty reduction, and food security in the country. The seminar will also highlight the importance of saving plant diversity for the present and future generations.
Specifically, significant results of R&D works on plant diversity will be disseminated through a poster exhibit and paper presentations. Moreover, a resolution will be formulated for follow- through courses of action on plant diversity conservation and utilization.
Participants include researchers, teachers, and students from various agencies and local universities. They will tackle critical issues as well as present posters on biodiversity and related concerns. Incidentally, the exhibit is open to the public.