1. Milestone Projects of DA with UPLB
6. Indigenous Plants for Health
and Wellness Program
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND
Given the rising demand for herbal
products and plant raw materials
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES LOS BAÑOS
catering to health and wellness, the
Philippines is making a pitch for
medicinal tourism. It is high time that a
program specifically addressing
Forging Strong Ties
for Agricultural Growth
indigenous plants is established.
DA, together with UPLB, launched the
“Indigenous Plants for Health and
Wellness RDE Program” in October
2007. This is in support to the AJJACALAN
Proclamation No. 1280 which declared
October as National Health and
Wellness Tourism Month.
This collaborative effort with
UPLB takes into consideration
the Philippine biodiversity
wherein plant species other
than the conventional food
crops are studied for their
health promoting values. This
program is seen to help
improve the country's health
status while boosting its local
economy. The indigenous
plants of the country are
explored and utilized for their
functional use and as sources
of nutraceuticals,
pharmaceuticals,
cosmeceuticals, and other raw
materials for the industry.
PHOTOS BY RDELACRUZ

2. AJJACALAN
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is the principal
Milestone Projects of DA with UPLB
agency of the Philippine government responsible for the
promotion, development, and enhancement of agriculture
5. Biotechnology
and fisheries industries.
Inasmuch as DA implements applied researches
In pursuit of this, it provides the policy framework, helps which have direct impact on the lives of farmers
direct public investments, and provides the support services and fisherfolk, it never fails to recognize the
necessary to make agriculture and agri-based enterprises importance of basic or upstream research. It
profitable in partnership with the local government units contributes to new knowledge and insights that
may lead to breakthroughs and the development
(LGUs), private sector, local communities to help spread the
and enhancement of generating new
benefits of development to the poor, particularly those in the technologies. UPLB has established a working
rural areas. framework for biotechnology researches to
minimize uncertainties when research outputs are
shared to prospective beneficiaries. Although basic
research results may not immediately find their
way to adoption and utilization, DA believes that
conducting basic and strategic research is an
Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap
investment for the future. The underlying principle
is to increase their research applications which are
vital to technology development.
Major Contributions/Accomplishments With the new direction and priorities set by
AJJACALAN Secretary Yap, DA has strengthened its support in
S
ecretary Arthur C. Yap has the conduct of basic research aimed at addressing
marshaled the entire DA's the emerging issues and concerns that
resources behind the beset the agriculture and fishery sectors. In
implementation of the Five Pillar Programs particular, researches on agricultural
designed to help the farmers and biotechnology covering both modern and
fisherfolk productively and profitably traditional biotech.
manage their farms. These programs
involve the completion of more 1) Among the recent developments are on
irrigation and road infrastructure, 2) high-yielding seed varieties for corn,
access to technology, extension services vegetables, and legumes; developments of
and rural credit, 3) building postharvest bio-organic fertilizers such as the Bio-Con
drying and storage facilities for on-farm and Bio-N, and implementation of the site-
production use, and 5) access to domestic specific nutrient management for corn.
and international markets. Through the DA-UPLB efforts on PHOTOS BY AJJACALAN and CDEGUZMAN
information and knowledge management,
His major directions and policy people are assured of appropriate and
initiatives are geared on sustainable and timely information on biotechnology breakthrough
profitable farms and agribusiness as key and information for development.
factor to the future growth and
development of the Philippine

3. Milestone Projects of DA with UPLB Milestone Projects of DA with UPLB
T
he UPLB has carved its solid research and development (R&D), DA When DA initiated and set the
reputation as a premiere recognizes and supports such directions to formulate the national
4. Agricultural Value-adding and
learning institution in the endeavor particularly, in UPLB’s research agenda and programs and
Postharvest Technologies fulfillment of its research,
country and in Asia. For years now, it systematized the funding and resource
has kept its lead in generating diverse development, and extension (RDE) allocation for R&D, DA knew that
Generating yield-improving technologies and
breakthroughs in the hard sciences functions. forging ties with UPLB will make the
expanding them into high-value commodities is the
including key areas in social sciences. An effective and sustainable agriculture sector stronger,
key to meet the much needed opportunities for job
As UPLB aims to secure its partnership entails a high level of productive, and competitive.
creation and income growth among our farmers,
position as the leader in agricultural commitment and complementation.
fisherfolk and the rural sector.
With breakthroughs in technology development and
management, significant innovations are discovered DA has partnered with UPLB through various collaborative endeavors.
to keep us abreast with the fast-changing time. Among them include:
Presently, DA is exploiting the strength of R&D to
discover more productive procedures to enable 1. Enterprise and Agribusiness Development in the
farmers and fisherfolk to effectively Agriculture Curriculum
manage the entire production system and
meet the challenges of globalization, As UPLB aims to strengthen its UPLB being an oasis of
climate change, poverty alleviation, and position in the field of agricultural technology generators is holistic
conservation and protection of our research and development, DA in its approach. It focuses on the PHOTOS BY AJJACALAN
environment. hopes to inject “enterprise and capability to develop future
agribusiness” in its agriculture experts and scientists in coming
DA is giving strong emphasis on the role curriculum by aligning course up with interventions and
of technology vis-à-vis the modernization offerings with a program innovations on how to better
of agriculture and fisheries. The framework that will infuse modern build opportunities in the
globalization thrust of DA is premised on perspectives on agribusiness agriculture sector with particular
the development and management of technology. It is development in “businessizing” the emphasis on marketing and
within this perspective that DA issued an Philippine agriculture for its increasing profitability of
Administrative Order in 2006 mandating and various stakeholders and clientele. stakeholders through efficient
authorizing the Bureau of Agricultural Research management of resources.
(BAR) to orchestrate and provide the overall This collaborative effort hopes to
coordination in the implementation of the National open the minds of young and
Technology Commercialization Program (TechCom) promising students to the bright
which is now instituted as one of its banner programs. and exciting business side of
agriculture. The capabilities of
Some of the most recent and high-impact future experts in agribusiness will
collaborative projects with UPLB are on wine be developed to help them realize
processing from indigenous fruits (Institute of Food the importance of looking into the
Science and Technology), pineapple and citrus entire supply chain management
waxing to prolong shelf-life (Postharvest Training from commodity production
and Research Center), and Extended Hot Water PHOTOS BY RDELACRUZ and NDELROSARIO III activities to competitive
Treatment (PHTRC), among others. marketing.
RDELACRUZ

4. Milestone Projects of DA with UPLB Milestone Projects of DA with UPLB
2. Biofuels R&D Roadmap 3. ICT Capability as Tool to Enhance
Technology Transfer
With the increased economic activity and the ever-
growing population that resulted in the ICT has brought many changes into the world by
unprecedented exhaustion of primary energy enhancing human capacity in acquiring and
demand, recent talks have drawn worldwide sharing information and knowledge. We now
attention in finding the best alternative biofuel rely on these technologies for leveraging
source. The issue has become global and the search information and knowledge gained and made
for a sustainable and efficient bioethanol source them relevant to today's society. This powerful
plays a major role in the country's drive towards tool can improve institutional management so
energy independence. These gave DA the that our country can move towards globalization.
opportunities to create more jobs for the agriculture
sector. Over the years the Philippine government has
invested substantially on ICT infrastructure .
The newly-enacted Biofuels Law signed by These are harnessed to modernize Philippine
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on January 12, agriculture, particularly in strengthening
2007 is a landmark legal instrument that supported research-extension-farmer linkages for wider
the adoption of biofuel as a viable alternative. DA, agricultural research and extension. The
along with other concerned agencies, has fundamental concern is the dissemination of
developed R&D roadmap for biofuels including timely, reliable, and comprehensive information
identified commodities with potential as biofuel to ensure that R&D thrusts are well placed in the
stock such as: cassava and jathropa, among others. formulation of policies, plans, and programs.
DA is collaborating with the UPLB as primary DA collaborates with UPLB to strengthen its IT
source of information and technologies in laying capability and interconnectivity with other
the groundwork for utilizing the identified fuel Centers of Excellence, research institutions, and
stocks, coming up with comprehensive feasibility ultimately down to the provincial and municipal
studies, and generating the most appropriate levels. UPLB, being a repository of various
production and management strategies through researches and technologies, will make its
R&D for utilizing the fuel stocks for biofuel information accessible online and effectively
production. linked with the DA's R&D and Extension
information service centers.
The biofuels R&D roadmap aims to identify
commodities with potential for biofuel production, All relevant information on agriculture and
production management and implications to fisheries technologies and researches are web-
current market demand, and commercialization enabled for content build-up of the existing
and expansion by linking the technology with databases housed in the centralized DA IT service
investors through provision of relevant center for easy access and use of farmers and
information . fisherfolk, and students.
PHOTOS BY AJJACALAN and RDELACRUZ
PHOTOS BY RDELACRUZ