Volume 12 Issue No. 7 A monthly publication of the Bureau of Agricultural Research July 2011

BINHI AWARDEE (2007)Agricultural Newsletter of the Year

hronicleCVisit our official website at http://www.bar.gov.ph

ISSN 1655-3942

RDMIC Bldg., Visayas Ave.,cor. Elliptical Rd.Diliman, Quezon City 1104PHILIPPINES

INTERNATIONAL EVENT

FLORENDO AWARDEE (2003)Outstanding Information Tool for Print

BARBUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

BAR hronicleCBUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

ISO 9001:2000

BINHI AWARDEE (2009)

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IN THIS ISSUE...

HVCDP includes sweet sorghum and peanut............

Eleazar delivers accomplishments.............................

Farmers receive benefits from R&D...........................

Foreign, local experts discuss us of seismic............

33rd NAST-ASM underscores competitiveness........

Sustainability of Organic Agriculture.........................

BAR holds PhilAgriNet 2-day training........................

BAR joins PAFT exhibit...............................................

BAR participates DOST Expo Science......................

BAR joins 2nd International Forum on Plant............

Effects of food production process...........................

Producing high quality quail eggs.............................

Adlai: Champion crop of the Subanen......................

PhilAgriNet promotes better pool of agri.................

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The High Value CropsDevelopment Program(HVCDP), a banner program of

the Department of Agriculture (DA)created to help address food security,poverty alleviation and sustainablegrowth in the country, has recentlyincluded and aspriority commodities. This was madeofficial through Memorandum No. 143,Series of 2011 which was signed by itsOIC National Coordinator, Jennifer E.Remoquillo.

“HVCDP does not pose anyobjection to the propose inclusion of thetwo commodities as we recognize theirimportance to the development of theagriculture sector, thus appropriateinterventions specifically on the researchand development (R&D) will beprovided,” stated Remoquillo.

Sweet sorghum and peanut areagricultural crops which are both beingsupported by the Bureau of Agricultural

sweet sorghum peanut

HVCDP includes sweet sorghumand peanut as priority crops

Research (BAR) given their economicpotentials to increase farmers' incomes,create livelihood opportunities, andcontribute to national agriculturaldevelopment.

“Since 2005, BAR has beenfunding R&D initiatives geared towardthe promotion of the two crops to boosttheir productions nationwide from the

adaptability field trials to thedevelopment of package of technologies(POTs). Part of the commercialization isa seed support system to reach morefarmer-beneficiaries and adopt thetechnology interventions introduced tothem,” said the bureau chief, Dr.Nicomedes P. Eleazar.

BAR, as the designated focalagency of the DA on biofuels R&D, ispromoting sweet sorghum for itsbioethanol production. Since theintroduction of the crop in 2005 throughthe India-based, International CropsResearch Institute for the Semi-AridTropics (ICRISAT), BAR has beensupporting R&D initiatives to boost its

Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar of theBureau of Agricultural Research(BAR) delivered the bureau's

accomplishments for the first semester of 2011and issued specific directions for the next sixmonths during the “BAR Mid-Year Reviewand Planning Workshop” held on 12-14 July2011 at the Punta de Fabian in Baras, Rizal.

Specifically, he instructed concerneddivision to closely with DA-HighValue Crops Development Program (HVCDP)to include peanut and sweet sorghum aspriority commodities. The bureau chief alsoinstructed the Planning and Project

coordinate

Eleazar delivers accomplishmentsand issues marching orders

In a country that harbors vastagricultural resources, it isessential that fundamental studies

and vital literature on agriculture bedocumented, collated, and madeaccessible to researchers and variousagricultural sectors. Hence, theinception and construction of thePhilippine Agricultural InformationServices and Network (PhilAgriNet)database. This database promotesawareness of previous agricultural

PhilAgriNet promotes better poolof agri knowledge resources

researches to serve as guide to similarstudies yet to be conducted and toavoid duplication of studies. In thelong run, this will aid the generationof savings on the part of the researchinstitution and the country as well.

With the goal of upholdingthe advocacy and activities ofPhilAgriNet, Consultant Mila Ramosparticipated in the “InternationalExpert Consultation on Building theCoherence in Information forAgricultural Research forDevelopment (CIARD) Frameworkfor Data and Information Sharing”held on 20-23 June 2011 in Beijing,China.

Organized by the GlobalForum on Agricultural Research(GFAR) and the Chinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences (CAAS), theConsultation held the activity“Marketplace” that showcased onlineagricultural information resourcesfrom different countries. In thisactivity, Ms. Ramos presentedPhilAgriNet through the poster titled,“Agricultural Knowledge Sharing inthe Philippines,” which portrayed thenetwork as the solution to therecurring problems of deficientawareness and inadequate access toPhilippine agricultural researchliterature.

As one of the plans andprograms for the further development

and promotion of PhilAgriNet, Ms.Ramos advised that the database beregistered at the CIARD website soto establish a new affiliation with thismovement. Preceding theconsultation, CIARD posted asummary report on Philippineagricultural knowledge sharingwritten by Ms. Ramos on theirwebsite.

On the track of advancingthe PhilAgriNet database, analternative software was proposed tohouse the database. This is due to theinveterate installation problemsunder its present open sourcedatabase management softwareWebAGRIS. Subsequent to theprolonged discussion amongPhilAgriNet officers, the databasefiles were decided to be transferredto a less complex and easy-to-useplatform, which is Dspace.

Dspace, an open sourcesoftware package commonly used forinstitutional repository, hasmanagement tools for digital assets,supports a vast range of data, likethesis, book, film, digital scan, video,and many other forms ofinformation, and manages metadatafor print files.

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(Leila Denisse E.Padilla)

For more information please visit thePhilAgriNet website:http://www.bar.gov.ph/philagrinet/index.html

Ms. Mila Ramos of PhilAgriNet presented theposter titled,“Agricultural Knowledge Sharing inthe Philippines” during the “International ExpertConsultation on Building the CIARD Framework forData and Information Sharing” in Beijing, China.

PHOTO: MILA RAMOS

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2 BAR hronicleC July 2011 Issue 19BAR hronicleC

BAR hronicleCBUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

ISO 9001:2000

Managing Editor/Layout Artist:Consulting Editors:Writers:

Reproduction/Printing:ACD Head:Adviser:

Rita T. dela CruzVictoriano B. Guiam and Julia A. Lapitan

Ricardo G. Bernardo and Anthony A. ConstantinoJulia A. LapitanNicomedes P. Eleazar, PhD, CESO IV

Ma. Eloisa Aquino, Rita T. dela Cruz, Diana Rose A. de LeonMaria Anna M. Gumapac, Patrick RA Lesaca,Miko Jazmine J. Mojica, Leila Denisse E. Padilla, andZuellen B. Reynoso

ISSN 1655-3942Copyright Bureau of Agricultural Research, Department of Agriculture 2011.For subscription and inquiries please contact us: Tel. Nos: +63 (2) 928-8505, 928-8624, 920-0234local numbers 3011, 3012, 3027 Fax No. +63 (2) 927-5691 Email:Articles are also available online, visit our official website:

acd@bar.gov.ph.http://www.bar.gov.ph/barchronicle

BAR CHRONICLE is published monthly by the

Applied Communication Division of the Department

of Agriculture - Bureau of Agricultural Research,

RDMIC Building, Visayas Avenue, cor. Elliptical

Road, Diliman, Quezon City 1104 Philippines.

This publication provides regular updates on DA-

BAR’s activities as the country’s national coordinator

for agriculture and fisheries R&D. It also highlights

features and news articles concerning NaRDSAF-

member institutions.

PRODUCTION TEAM

Farmers can now benefit from awide selection of services fromthe government's continuing

investments in agriculture research,development, and extension (RD&E) asthe Department of Agriculture (DA)ushered them to the newly built Farmer’sTraining Hall in Quezon Province on 5July 2011.

No less than AgricultureSecretary Proceso J. Alcala graced the

from R&D investments in QuezonFarmers receive benefits

occasion were farmers were educatedabout free access to technologies,technical assistance, and other servicesprovided by the government through theQuezon Agricultural Experiment Station(QAES) in Lagalag, Tiaong, Quezon.

QAES is one of the researchoutreach stations (ROS) of the SouthernIntegrated Agricultural Research Center(STIARC) under DA Region 4A.

The Bureau of Agricultural

Research (BAR), the R&D arm of DA,in partnership with the PhilippineCoconut Authority (PCA), DA Region4A, and QAES organized the eventwhere the BAR-funded Farmer'sTraining Hall, Embryo CultureLaboratory, and several RD&E projectsof various proponents were officiallypresented to farmers.

The training hall providesfarmers with a venue to build the

production nationwide. BAR funded the sweet sorghum regionaladaptability trials in 2007-2008. The five varieties planted were:NTJ 2, SPV 422, ICSV 700, ICSV 93046, and ICSR 93034 whichwere evaluated as the best among the initial varieties conducted by

. Preliminary resultsalso showed that the varieties are well-adapted in most of regionswhere the trials have been conducted.

“Should sweet sorghum be used to its full potentials inproduction and processing, this could propel us to the same level asother countries that now have more environment-friendly industriesyet progressive economies. The country would be a cleaner place tolive in,” said Dr. Eleazar.

While there are still no distilleries for bioethanol fromsweet sorghum in the country, village-level technologies weredeveloped to process sweet sorghum juice and grains into foodproducts and the grains and stalks as animal feed. Hence, the 4 sin sweet sorghum production: uel, ood, eed/Forage, ertilizer.Farmer-beneficiaries of BAR-funded projects are using theirharvested grains and stalks to produce processed food products.The grains are processed into flour which in turn is used to makeproducts such as cookies, macaroons, , and porridge. Thekernels are made into pop sorghum which is similar to popcornwhile the juice from the stalk are served fresh as a refreshing drinkand further processed into jaggery, wine, and vinegar.

Another high-potential crop being supported by BAR ispeanut, specifically peanut, a big-seeded peanut varietyknown to produce nuts larger than those traditionally grown in thecountry. Just like sweet sorghum, peanut was also introducedin the country through a BAR-ICRISAT R&D collaborativeinitiative in 2005.

peanut is now a certified peanut variety and is beingwidely cultivated nationwide through a project funded by BAR.Given its size and high-yielding qualities, showed greatpotential in increasing the harvest and incomes of local peanutfarmers in the country. According to Dr. Eleazar, peanutproduction project is in line with DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala'sinitiatives to promote agricultural crops and products that havepotentials to improve farmers' incomes, but are not yet in themainstream market.

A Package of Technology (POT) for the production ofpeanut variety is now available improving the productivity of

local peanut farmers in the country. The POT was developed bythe Department of Agriculture-Cagayan Valley IntegratedAgricultural Research Center (DA-CVIARC) through a three-yearproject on the production and promotion of peanut.

abaca, coffee, cacao, rubber(for industrial crops); and types, spices,indigenous (for vegetables); fruits (based on local priorities);rootcrops; and Saba/Cardaba banana (for staple food crops).

the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU)

FF F F F

polvoron

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pinakbet chopsuey

(Rita T. dela Cruz)

Asha

Cercospora

Adlai (Soybeans.

isthe only peanut variety released in the Philippines that producedthe highest recorded yield of 3,991 kg per hectare which is doubledthe yield of commercialized peanut varieties in the country. Thispeanut variety is also resistant to bacterial wilt and other foliardiseases such as leaf spot and rust, which is ideal aslivestock forage due to high fresh biomass and dry matter content.

Other HVCDP priority commodities which are beingsupported by BAR are under the staple food crops) and

These are being supported through BAR’s Community-based Participatory Action Research (CPAR) and NationalTechnology Commercialization Program (NTCP).

Other priority crops included:

HVCDP includes..from page 1

Trainings on capacity building particularly onrainfed agriculture and climate change were also givenemphasis by Director Eleazar during the mid-yearreview and planning workshop. He said, “empoweringour researchers in these fields will strengthen andintensify our R&D works.” He put to task theInstitutional Development Division (IDD) to packagecapacity building proposals in coordination with the

ICRISAT) through the PhilippineRainfed Agriculture RDE Program (PhiRaRDEP).

Director Eleazar articulated to the group thespecific instruction of Secretary Proceso J. Alcala tomake DA regional stations productive and be able togenerate incomes.

On administrative and financial matters, heinstructed Finance Unit to comply with the provisionsset forth in the accounting and auditing rules andprocedures prior to the implementation. Dr. Eleazarfurther advised all technical divisions

with the Finance Unit on the releasing ofchecks to partner institutions.

Apart from the specific instructions laid downby the Director, he reminded the participants toidentify point persons for specific R&D commodityi.e., , rubber.

Dir. Eleazar also requested IDD to review thecurrent scholarship packages particularly on theavailment of degree and non-degree assistanceprograms of BAR.

To effectively plot its future plans anddirections, respective divisions and units of the bureaureported their first semester salient accomplishmentsand prospective plans for 2011.

Mr. Joell H. Lales, head of PPDD, presentedthe Philippine Development Plan for 2011–2016specifically containing the Competitive andSustainable Agriculture and Fisheries Framework. Mr.Lales also presented the DA's Plans and Programs for2012.

All divisions presented their plans andprograms for the year.

Assistant Director Teodoro S. Solsoloydelivered a message to officially cap of the activity.

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (

to closelycollaborate

adlai

(Patrick RA Lesaca)

Eleazar delivers..from page 3

July 2011 Issue

PHOTO: RDELACRUZ

Farmers receive benefits

DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (center) leads in the ribbon-cutting during theinauguration of the Farmer's Training Hall (left, upper photo) and the Embryo Culture Lab(left, bottom photo) inside the QAES Compound. Also in the photo are: BAR DirectorNicomedes P. Eleazar (right) and DA-RFU IV Director Abelardo R. Bragas (left).

PHOTOS: MMOJICA

Farmer’s Training Hall

Embryo Culture Laboratory

R&D INFRASTRUCTUREFEATURE: ADLAI

18 3BAR hronicleC BAR hronicleC

capacity of farmers in the appropriateproduction, management, and processingtechnologies of various commodities.Some of the technologies and productsfrom agriculture R&D which wereshowcased during the event includedthose on embryo cultured ,

(rice-like crop), cacao, oregano,banana, native chicken, Indian mango,

(wild berry), medicinal plants,organic fertilizer, and edible landscaping.

In his message, Secretary Alcalashared his vision for the next three yearsfor all DA-ROS in the country such asQAES to be income generating so that itcould augment the support for itscontinuous operations to serve the needsof farmers.

He also stated his expectation forthe PCA to deliver on its promise to cutthe cost of seedlings in halfand his desire to further increase thebudget allocation for farm-to-marketroads. The Secretary also stated thatinvestments in agriculture R&D is furtherleveled up with the continuous increasein its budget.

While farmers and rural womencomprised majority of the visitors duringthe event, it was also well-attended bylocal government leaders including Gov.

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David Suarez, Rep. Irvin Alcala, andthe municipal mayors of Sariaya,Dolores, Candelaria, San Antonio, andCalauag.

Meanwhile, DA officialspresent in the event who also gave theirrespective messages were: Dir.Nicomedes Eleazar, BAR; Dir.Abelardo Bragas, DA Region 4A; Dir.Euclides Forbes, PCA; Exec. Dir.Manuel Jarmin, LivestockDevelopment Council (LDC); Dir.Efren Nuestro, Bureau of AnimalIndustry (BAI); and Exec. Dir. NoelJuliano, National Agricultural andFishery Council (NAFC).

In his message, PCA DirectorForbes encouraged farmers to exploreopportunities beyond copra such that ofembryo cultured which hashigh market potential. He said that asof the moment, only one privatecompany is making investments on thislocally.

Congressman Alcala alsolauded BAR's support to agricultureand fisheries RD&E through variousprograms such as the Community-based Participatory Action Research(CPAR). He emphasized that whilesupport for agriculture pours in

makapuno

Quezon, the intention is to extend itsimpact to neighbor provinces particularlythe CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna,Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) area.

On the other hand, LDC DirectorJarmin highlighted some of the topreasons why QAES was chosen as thecenter of agriculture R&D and extensionin the province such as its proximity tomajor markets, competency of itsscientists and researchers, and availabilityof materials and facilities to conductagricultural activities.

BAI Director Nuestro meanwhileupdated the audience about the currentinitiatives of the DA under SecretaryAlcala's leadership to expand the geneticimprovement of livestock as well as theproduction and marketing of Peking duckand Brahman cattle with ready markets inMalaysia and Singapore.

Governor Suarez also lauded DAas one of the most outstandingdepartments in delivering services to thepeople. He also commended the DAR-DA-DPWH convergence initiative whichwas launched in Quezon as well as thedevelopment of the Eastern Seaport of thePhilippines including the establishment ofthe state-of-the-art fishport in Quezon.(Miko Jazmine J. Mojica)

old only because we eat porridge madefrom lowland rice which is grown withchemical fertilizers,” revealed DaniloEranga, farmer leader of Subanen Tribeand member of the Tumanod PusakaSubanen Midsalip (TUPUSUMI) FarmerAssociation.

In a report conducted by theBureau of Agricultural Research (BAR)during its “Documentation on AdlaiProduction Practices in Zamboanga delSur,” it was found that from the 33barangays in Midsalip, 19 are growing

. The documentation also showedthat the Subanen are growing at least fourvarieties of adlai: (brown),

(white), or (red orpurple - glutinous), and (gold). The

is often referred to as the“ordinary adlai” as this is the mostcommonly grown variety in the 19barangays. Aside fromis a popular variety due to its bigger grainsize, good eating quality, and ability toproduce higher yields compared to othervarieties. Generally, Subanen farmers aregrowing 1-3 varieties of in anaverage farm area of 100m -2.5ha.

Adlai plant has broad, erect, anddark green leaves and with main stemdiameter of 0.5 - 1 inch. It has a profuseroot system that anchors and prevents thebig and sturdy tillers from lodging.Usually, it is grown with cash crops likeginger, taro, squash, banana, and foresttrees to ensure availability of incomewhile waiting for the grains tomature.

Farmers in Midsalip practiceratooning of and usually two tothree times after the main crop. The firstis done in July and harvested in October,second in December and harvested inJanuary, and third in March and harvestedin April. The length of cut frombase ranges from 0.6m-1m.

adlai

ginampaygulian pulot tapol

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gulian, ginampay

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adlai

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adlai

BAR's Adlai R&D projectThe documentation of

production practices in Zamboanga delSur is part of an on-going project ofBAR in collaboration with selectedRegional Field Units (RFUs) of theDepartment of Agriculture (DA), stateuniversities and colleges (SUCs) andnon-government organizations likeEarthkeepers and MASIPAG.

Currently, the project isconducting 11 adaptability trials (stationand on-farm) of varieties for seedproduction and commercialization: 4DA-RFUs, 5 SUCs, and 2 NGOs.

Dr. Nicomedes P. Eleazar,director of BAR, explained that “trialshave been established in differentregions basically to assess theperformance of different varietiesin different locations and elevations.And so far, as initial results have beensubmitted to us, the nationwide trialsreported significant results.”

During the “ConsultationMeeting on Adlai R&D Program” heldin April 2011, the need to document the

production and harvestingpractices in growing regionsincluding Zamboanga del Sur, wasidentified as one researchable area thatneeded to be conducted to providereliable data. “This is also to support thepotentials of the as staple foodcrop in the area, and to providetechnical basis for the packaging oflocation specific technologies usingindigenous/traditional productionpractices,” explained Ms. Mendoza.

As the result of thedocumentation conducted in Midsalip,it was found that although theirproduction practices are still verytraditional, they are low cost,environment-friendly, and sustainable.

“For instance, their seed

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selection for planting material is foundto be very effective in maintaining thepurity of the seed quality, reported Ms.Mendoza. Farmers select seeds forplanting materials by selecting longpanicles, fuller grains from neck tohead, good tiller stand and free fromblackish spots or diseases. This carefulseed selection is in contrast to whatfarmers in the lower elevation areas aredoing where there is a very frequentvarietal change due to varietaldeterioration. In the lowlands, there isa perennial problem of seed sourcebecause of the absence of judiciousseed selection.

“They also use the leaves andother parts of the plants asorganic fertilizer. Other productionpractices include, clearing only the

root system areas to prevent soilerosion, and non-application ofpesticide to preserve the population ofbeneficial insects,” added Ms.Mendoza.

Harvesting practices ofharvesting is also traditional shreddingfirst the panicles with their hands afterwhich they are milled and winnowed.

The documentation of theproduction practices in Midsalip iscritical in assessing the yieldperformance of different varieties of

growing in the area given thedifferent elevations. This, according toMs. Medoza will be useful in thepromotion and expansion of in thefuture.

adlai

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---------For more information, please contact:Project Monitoring & Evaluation Division(PMED), Bureau of Agricultural Research-Department of Agriculture, RDMIC Bldg.,Visayas Ave., Diliman, Quezon CityTel Nos. 9288505, 9288624, 9200226Locals 3111, 3126, 3129

Development Division (PPDD),Project Monitoring and EvaluationDivision (PMED) and the TechnologyCommercialization Division (TCD) tocollaborate on this endeavor. Dir.Eleazar likewise informed the bodythat and are alreadyincluded as priority crops of HVCDP.Director Eleazar meanwhile instructed

adlai soybean

Eleazar delivers..from page 1

the Applied Communication Division(ACD) and PMED to beef-up thecampaign on since this will befeatured during the World Food Daycelebration on 11-14 October 2011. Hegave specific instructions to concerneddivisions to facilitate the event as thiswill be a major activity of the bureau.The director further instructed PPDD

adlai

and PMED tocoordinate andencourage all DA-Regional Field Units(RFUs) through theRegional IntegratedAgricultural ResearchCenters (RIARCs) tosubmit projectproposals onparticularly on pestmanagement.In terms of enhancingthe “commercial-ability” of CPARprojects nationwide,

Director Eleazar directed PMED,ACD, and TCD to sit down togetherand evaluate completed CPARprojects and validate whether theseprojects have any potential forcommercialization. These maturetechnologies, he said, will intensifyBAR’s technology commercializationefforts.

adlai

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PHOTOS: RDELACRUZAdlai as a traditional staple crop

July 2011 Issue July 2011 Issue

PHOTO: JBORROMEO

PHOTOS: MGUMAPAC

FEATURE: ADLAI

4 BAR hronicleC BAR hronicleC 17

SEMINAR ON RUBBER

To explore the innovative use ofnatural rubber as a semi-intelligent “seismic bearing” for

the eventual prevention of disaster suchas earthquake, the Bureau ofAgricultural Research (BAR) held itsmonthly seminar titked, “Applicationof Seismic Rubber Bearings to ProtectInfrastructures from Earthquakes,” on14 July 2011 at 4/F RDMIC Bldg.,Visayas Ave., Dliman, Quezon City.

Around 70 participantsattended the seminar composed ofmembers from public and privateinstitutions including the Departmentof Public Works and Highways

Foreign, local experts discussuse of seismic rubber bearings

against earthquakes

Dr. Alfredo Mahar Francisco A. Lagmay

NIGS, UP Diliman, PhilippinesDr. Kamarudin Ab Malek

TARRC, Malaysia

Dr. Abdul Aziz S.A. Kadir

of IRRDB, Malaysia

(DPWH), National Agricultural andFishery Council (NAFC), University ofthe Philippines – Los Baños (UPLB),Isabela State University (ISU),Philippine Rubber IndustriesAssociation (PRIA), Google Serve,among others.

The objective of the BARseminar series is to take the next stepafter a breakthrough has beenachieved—creating a platform whereinnovations may be shared towards thegeneral public. This informationrevolution wagon makes way for thefurther development of thesebreakthroughs as people from all the

different sectors from around theglobe gather and participate duringthe discussions and lectures.

BAR invited noted local andforeign experts in the fields ofrubber production (Dr Adbul Aziz),engineering applications (Dr MaharLagmay), and geology (DrKamarudin Ab. Malek).

With the death toll risingdue to the devastating effects ofearthquakes worldwide, therelevance of this month's seminar onrubber bearings and earthquakes isdefinitely straightforward.

“People don't get shaken to

As most of us have neither seennor heard of a crop called ,the Subanen tribe has known it

all their lives. Adlai (L.) is their staple crop. Adlai grains arepounded, threshed, and winnowed,cooked and served it steam just like rice.The grains are also fermented and servedas wine) to the and

(traditional leaders) during(Subanen festival) and other

special ocassions including, weddingsand funerals.

The Subanen people are knownas the aborigines of the Island ofMindanao and considered as the firstinhabitants of Pagadian City inZamboanga del Sur. Originally, theylived along the river banks, hence thename "suba" which means “people of theriver” but now they reside in themountains, most of them as .They are described as generally aconservative and shy tribe.

Although rice and corn remainas the staple crops in Zamboanga del Sur,

adlai

Coix lacryma-jobi

pangasi (adlai datutimuaybuklog

kaingineros

Champion crop of the SubanenChampion crop of the SubanenBY RITA T. DELA CRUZ

production of crop yield is generallylow (2.5 tons/ha.) due to lowtemperature and low solar radiationintensity prevailing in the highlands. InMidsalip, a cordial town in Zamboangadel Sur, is extensively cultivated.The town's name came from a Subanenword, “Migsalip” which means “tocollect” or “to gather” and as the nameimplies, the people here depends onnature as their source of livelihood.

Due to the farming conditionsin the highlands of Midsalip—slopingterrain, lack of irrigationwater—production of rice is notsuitable. This is the reason why farmersopted to grow . According to Ms.Apolonia A. Mendoza, BARcoordinator for , Subanen farmerspreferred because it produces highyield in the highlands, tolerates low pH,thrives even in poor quality soil, growswell in sloping areas, tolerateswaterlogging, and it is to pest-resistant.“These good features of becamewell-known and making a widely

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cultivated crop in Midsalip just like othercereal crops in the area,” reported Ms.Mendoza.

“The Subanen people have beengrowing for as long as I couldremember. When I was still a child, I sawhow they plant this crop as source offood,” said Terso Balides, a Subanenfarmer and spokesperson for the BARAdlai Project.

According to the Subanen, theirancestors have been growing asstaple food in the highlands, the way thelowland people eat rice. They commonlygrow it in areas, freely branchingupright, thriving robustly even inmarginal areas.

“We, Subanen people, believe inthe medicinal benefits from eating .Our early ancestors lived up to 150 yearsold eating only porridge. This isbecause is grown organically, withno chemical fertilizers helping it to yield.Now, Subanen people live up to 60 years

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Adlai production practices

July 2011 Issue July 2011 Issue

Adlai:Adlai:

PHOTO: RDELACRUZ

TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR ON RUBBER

BAR hronicleC BAR hronicleC 516

death by earthquakes,” said in DrMahar Lagmay's visual presentationin big bold blue font. This naturaldisaster causes other naturaldisasters—landslides, floods, andtsunamis—and even deadly fires toerupt and claim lives. Hospital andschool buildings become unsafe as itis threatened by earthshake andaftershocks. Dr Lagmay is a professorof Geology at the National Institute ofGeological Sciences (NIGS), Collegeof Science, University of thePhilippines Diliman. He is also alicensed geologist specializing inphysical volcanology, volcano-techtonics, remote sensing, andnatural disasters.

He mentioned that in the past,there have been 28 significantearthquakes with intensity 6 thatoccurred within Metro Manila, and 13of those caused severe damage.“Metro Manila is prone toearthquakes. According to studiesmade by the Philippine Institute ofVolcanology and Seismology(PHIVOLCS), the five earthquakefaults are actually the faults thatgenerate earthquakes in Manila,”explained Dr Lagmay. Thesefaults—the Valley (Marikina) FaultSystem, the Philippine Fault Zone, theLubang Fault, the Casiguran Fault,and the Manila Trench—all contributeto the possibility that the metropolitanarea of the Philippines will be greatlyaffected by seismic activity and inturn, cause devastation to ourstructures as we are immenselyunprepared. Our buildings, roads, andbridges have not been built towithstand earthquakes. Just like in the1990 earthquake registered at 7.7intensity where a reported 1,700

people were killed, 3,000 individualsinjured, and almost 150,000 displacedin the areas of Baguio, Dagupan, andCabanatuan (Clark and Taylor, 1999).

Meanwhile, Dr Kamarudin Ab.Malek, chief executive officer of theLondon-based Malaysian Rubber Boardlaboratory, Tun Adbul Razak ResearchCenter (TARRC) explained how it ispossible to avoid all these losses and“protect structures and also what isinside,” and withstand high intensityearthquakes and tremors, by usingseismic rubber bearings.

“Rubber, for structuralapplications, can last very long,” saidDr Malek as he discussed in hispresentation on how a unit of rubberbearing is produced using naturalrubber, metal (for the surfaces), andbonding agent as primary materials.These materials are then assembled,and whether it will be used in a yet-to-be-built structure, or for retrofitting(term used for installation of rubberbearings in an already-constructedbuilding), undergo compressionmolding and vulcanization.Performance test is the last step in themanufacturing process where the entireunit is examined.

These rubber bearings are“designed to provide sufficient verticalstiffness to support the load of thestructure and at the same time flexiblehorizontal direction so as toaccommodate the ground motion due tothe earthquake” (Malaysian RubberBoard, 2002). Compared to otherinstallations, rubber bearings arerelatively advantageous as the designsare simple, it requires less or nomaintenance at all, it contains nomoving parts, and it is fairlyeconomical as it uses natural rubber

produce.With this knowledge on the

use of rubber to protect infrastructures,Dr Adbul Aziz, secretary-general ofthe International Rubber Research andDevelopment Board (IRRDB),wherein BAR is a member, sharedinformation about rubber productionand how to create the best naturalrubber at low cost, and high yieldproduce. “Be kind to the trees,”exclaimed Dr Aziz. Making rubberdoes not rely solely on nutrient andpest management, but also on theknow-how in tapping the trees. “Youovertap these trees, they dry up,” Azizfurther explained.

Rubber is one of the top fivepriority commodities of theDepartment of Agriculture (DA). Theongoing research on rubber productionhas been growing throughout theyears; the entire process from thepreparation of nursery beds, planting,tree, nutrient and pest management, allthe way to the harvest management hasbeen carefully studied to enable qualityproduction of rubber. Despite the factthat rubber production provides a highinvestment potential, the Philippinesonly houses a few players to supply forthe increasing domestic market andexport demands.

Our buildings and bridgescould only take so much shakingbefore it collapses—and before itcollapses on us. As 70 percent ofrubber produce proceeds to thefootwear and tire industry, it is timethat we learn to harness this naturalresource for our safety. Although usingseismic rubber bearings only prepareus for horizontal ground shaking andnot fault rupture as discussed duringthe open forum, this seminar hasactivated in the minds of theagriculturists, engineers, geologists,and all the participants, that there arealways innovations to improve andnatural disasters to conquer. (ZuellenB. Reynoso)

-------

References:1. Cathy Clark and Jim Taylor, 1999. Vol3, No4,

p6, Earthquake Devastates Philippines. DisasterRecovery Journal.http://www.drj.com/drworld/content/w1_116.htm

2. Malaysian Rubber Board. 2002. Products:Seismic Rubber Bearings.http://www3.lgm.gov.my/irpec/prd_seismic.html

A BAR-funded research

Organic components of quail feeds

In a recent study of a SSCAF-based instructor, Dr. Feliciano R. Bejar,organic ingredients were induced to boththe meal and drinking water of quailswith aim to improve growth, productionperformance, and egg qualities of quail.Dr. Bejar uses

. ( ) leaf, aloe vera extract,and acid cheese whey to achieve betterquality quail products at low cost. Withthe financial assistance granted from theDepartment of Agriculture – Bureau ofAgricultural Research (DA-BAR)Thesis/Dissertation Assistance Program,Dr. Bejar discovered how cheap organicmaterials could positively affect theproduction of quails and its eggs thatcould help fill the high market demandand encourage more investors into quailfarming.

DA-BAR opens its grant to allmembers of the National Research andDevelopment System in Agriculture andFisheries (NaRDSAF), such as membersof the agriculture and fisheries researchand development (R&D) systems, andlocal government units (LGUs), withfinancial support of up to 50,000Php,delivered in two installments (90 percentupon signing of contract, and theremaining 10 upon delivery ofaccomplished thesis/dissertation hardcopy).

In Dr. Bejar's study, he addedleaves, and aloe vera extract

and acid cheese whey to quails' feed anddrinking water, respectively. Heconsidered the quails' growthperformance, laying performance, eggqualities, and project viability asdetermining factors of the positive effectsof these three components to quailperformance and productivity.

is a shrub native tothe swampy areas of Latin America, buthas adapted to the Philippines as it growswell in local tropical conditions. Usedmainly as forage, living fence, and shadetree, it has now being used also as feed toproduce organic pigs and chicken in thecountry. possesses medicinalvalues as it was used by Columbians totreat nephritis in humans. It contains highwater soluble carbohydrate compared toother fodder trees. Its nutrientcomponents include crude protein, watersoluble protein, water solublecarbohydrates, starch, total sugars,reducing sugars, lignocelluloses, etherextract, among others. was

Trichanthera giganteaNees T. gigantea

T.gigantean

T. gigantea

T. gigantea

T. gigantea

percent

added to the other ingredients of thefeed at 0, 15, and 25 percent,respectively, in both grower and layermash.

On the other hand, additives toquails' drinking water were aloe veraextract and acid cheese whey.

Aloe vera extract is widelyknown as an anti-inflammatory forminor skin infections and naturalremedy to hair loss problems in men andwomen, as compounds such aspolysaccharides, mannans,anthraquinones and lectins are present. Aspecie of a succulent plant and believedto have originated in Sudan, aloe veraflourishes in dry countries like Africa,India, and Nepal. Orally or topicallyadministered for wounds, aloe veraextends this therapeutic effect toanimals. In a previous study in 2005 bythe same author, it was found thatsupplementation of aloe vera extract tobroilers resulted to positive growthresponse and high performance.

Another additive to the quails'drinking water was acid cheese whey.After coagulation and removal of curd,what remains is the water portion of themilk known as cheese whey. The twotypes of whey are sweet and acid, wherethe first is produced during the creationof rennet-type cheese and the latterduring production of acid-type cheese.Acid cheese whey contained lactic acidbacteria and was considered probiotic –these are live enhancers of intestinalmicrobial balance.

, aloe vera extracts,and acid cheese whey were added to 30013-day old quails' meal and drinkingwater in a four-month experimentperformed at the Northwest Samar StateUniversity, San Jorge Campus inSamar. Cages for brooding andgrowing were constructed at theUniversity for the experimentalbirds. meals of 0,15, and 25 were fed toquails, simultaneously wereserved with drinking waterincorporated with aloe vera atlevels 0, 15, and 25 mLthroughout the growing andlaying stages, and acid cheesewhey (same levels) throughoutthe experimental period.

Dr. Bejar's studyshowed that 15 percent of

meals withsimultaneous additives of aloe

T. gigantea

T. gigantea

T.gigantea

Quail and egg productions

percent

vera extract and acid cheese wheyultimately contributed to positive andincreased growth response, layingperformance, qualities of eggs, andproject profitability. Quail eggsproduced were longer and wider, withthicker shells and larger surface areasand increased breaking strength, whichmakes for sturdier transport duringdissemination of egg products. Resultsof higher net income and return ofinvestment is attributed to the positiveeffects to both the quails and their eggs.Above all, application of these threecomponents enabled for the loweredcholesterol content of the egg yolks thatmakes all the more nutritious andhealthy, and in turn, make these littlebirds a big hit for an even biggermarket.

pugo

------This article was based on the study, “Growth andReproductive Performance of Quail Fed withVarying Levels of Trichanthera Gigantea Nees. LeafMeal Supplemented with Aloe Vera Extract and AcidCheese Whey in Drinking Water,” by Feliciano R.Bejar of the Samar State College of Agriculture andForestry, San Jorge, Samar.

For more details on the DA-BARThesis/Dissertation Program, please contact theInstitutional Development Section, ProgramDevelopment Division of the Bureau of AgriculturalResearch at RDMIC Bldg., Visayas Avenue cornerElliptical Road, Diliman Quezon City. Trunklines:(02) 928-8624 and (02) 928-8505; or email us atpdd-ids@bar.gov.ph

1.“Trichanthera gigantean” (n.d.). Retrieved fromthe Tropical Forages.http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Trichanthera_gigantea.htm

2. “Quail Production” (n.d.). Retrieved from theBureau of Agricultural Research, AGFISHTECHPortal.http://www.bar.gov.ph/agfishtech/default.asp

3. “Whey” (2011). Retrieved from Wikipedia.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whey

References:

Dr. Bejar's study showedthat 15 percent of T.gigantea meals withsimultaneous additives ofaloe vera extract and acidcheese whey ultimatelycontributed to positive andincreased growth response,laying performance,qualities of eggs...

PH

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O:

AC

ON

STA

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INO

July 2011 Issue July 2011 Issue

LOCAL EVENT TECHNOLOGY

6 BAR hronicleCBAR hronicleC 15

Q uails ( ) aresmall birds that have been aroundin the country for quite some

time now. This small (17 cm on average)plump breed usually comes in hues ofbrown, black, and grey with whitestreaks. They are fairly agile animals – somuch so that smaller cages are moreappropriate for them to avoid injuries.Previously known only as hunting orgame birds, quails (also known asin the Philippines) have now come to theforefront of the poultry industry due tothe high demand not only for its meat,but also for its high-nutrient eggs (

).Quail farming has been

increasing in popularity as this breed isalso considered a possible solution for thegrowing demand in poultry products.Quail egg production heavily relies onthe hen's nutrition; thus, making thefeeding management very important inquality egg production. Despite the

Coturnix coturnix

pugo

itlogng pugo

Meeting the challenges ofagricultural productivity,competitiveness, and

sustainability, the 33 Annual ScientificMeeting (ASM) of the National Academyof Science and Technology (NAST) washeld on 13–14 July at the Manila Hotel.Fortunate to have attended as well asprovided an exhibit was the Departmentof Agriculture–Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (DA-BAR) led by its AppliedCommunication Division (ACD).

The program kicked off with theribbon cutting and opening of the postersession and exhibits led by HonorableMario G. Montejo, secretary of theDepartment of Science and Technology(DOST), and Dr. Emil Q. Javier,president of the DOST.

Dr. Javier delivered the welcomeremarks, followed by the opening addressof Secretary Montejo. In his speech, heacknowledged the shared vested interestof the NAST's 33 ASM with that of thegovernment, particularly of an agriculturerenaissance. Keynote address was thendelivered by Secretary Francis N.Pangilinan, chairman of the SenateCommittee on Agriculture and Food andCommittee on Social Justice and RuralDevelopment.

After the opening ceremonies,the plenary sessions followed right after.The first speaker was Dr. Javier, whogave a talk titled, “Philippine Agriculture2020: A strategy for poverty reduction,food security, competitiveness,sustainability, and justice and peace.” Histalk tackled a medium-term strategic planthat aimed for modernization anddevelopment of our country's agricultureand natural resources. This plan wasconceived through a series ofconsultations and workshops convenedby NAST involving scientists, farmers,entrepreneurs, non-government workers,managers, and industry stakeholders.

rd

rd

underscores competitiveness,and sustainability in agriculture

33 NAST-ASMrd

Session 2 was delivered by Dr.Rafael D. Guerrero III with his topic,“Managing our marine frontier:Challenges and opportunities.” Session3 dealt with “Further intensification ofagriculture: A must to meet thechallenges of agricultural productivity,sustainability, and competitiveness” byDr. Ruben L. Villareal.

The last plenary session forDay 1 was on “How sustainable isorganic agriculture in the Philippines?”led by Corresponding member ofNAST, Dr. Reynaldo L. Villareal. InSession 5, Dr. Arsenio M. Balisacangave a talk on “Sustaining ecologicalservices for agricultural productivity,sustainability, and competitiveness.”The last session was delivered by Dr.Rodel D. Lasco who talked about the“Imperatives of extension, e-Information, communication, andstatistics in agricultural development.”

Awarding and closingceremonies were held to wrap up theASM, including a presentation of ASMresolutions to concerned agencies andsectors by NAST President Emil Q.Javier. Response to these resolutionswas given by Secretary Montejo and Dr.Nicomedes P. Eleazar, director of theDA-BAR, who represented DASecretary Proceso J. Alcala who wasunable to attend.

Towards the end, as part of thetwo-day program, presentation of NASTawards for best scientific poster,outstanding scientific papers,outstanding books/monographs, NAST-Hugh Greenwood EnvironmentalScience Award, NAST Talent Search forYoung Scientist, Third World Academyof Sciences Prize for Young Scientist inthe Philippines, and Outstanding YoungScientist were given out. (Maria AnnaM. Gumapac)

BAR Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar represents Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcaladuring the closing ceremony wherein the outcomes of the roundtable discussionsconducted by NAST on the modernization and further development of Philippineagriculture were presented. PHOTO: NDELROSARIO III

using organic ingredients

increasing demand for quail meat andegg, less investors venture into quailproduction as very little is known aboutraising this breed. Unknown to many,quail is relatively easier to raisecompared with chicken as they requireless nurturing because they are notsusceptible to common poultry diseases,their cages entail less space, and theycould be fed with cheaper organiccompounds as in the study of Dr.Feliciano R. Bejar of the Samar StateCollege of Agriculture and Forestry(SSCAF).

In order to produce qualityquail eggs that maintain high nutritionalvalue and egg shell strength for higherand faster return of investment, feedcontent and management of quailsshould be closely monitored. Chickenfeed content and management arelargely different from that of quail, for

What makes up quail feeds?

example, the protein requirements varyfor both at different stages of growth.Using chicken feeds for quails result toinefficient layers and even highermortality rates as the quails' necessitiesare not met. A carefully studied andbalanced diet for a quail feed needs tobe comprised of ingredients that providethe correct amount of protein, calcium,phosphorus, and methionine at a givengrowth stage. Yellow corn, rice bran,fish meal, soybean meal, copra meal,dicaphos, limestone, lysine, DLmethionine, oil, vitamin premix (vitaminA, E, D , K, riboflavin, pantothenate,

niacin, pyridoxine, B and choline),

minerals (manganous sulfate, zincoxide, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate andoyster shell) and salt are the usualingredients mixed together to create asuitable feed for raising quails. Mashedor crumbled feeds are soldcommercially, with prices ranging from800Php–1200Php per sack.

3

12

BY ZUELLEN B. REYNOSO

July 2011 Issue July 2011 Issue

Producing quality quail eggs

PHOTO: RBERNARDO

Organic components of Dr.Bejar's quail feeds (L-R): Aloe

vera, cheese whey, andTrichanthera.

Producing quality quail eggsusing organic ingredients

PHOTO: RDELACRUZ

INTERNATIONAL EVENT NEWS FEATURE: ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

14 BAR hronicleCBAR hronicleC 7

With the growing interest inorganic products, it is thustimely that in the National

Academy of Science and Technology's(NAST) 33 Annual Scientific Meeting(ASM), one of the plenary sessionsdelivered dealt with the possibility oforganic agriculture in the Philippines,“How sustainable is organic agriculturein the Philippines?” delivered by NASTcorresponding member, Dr. Reynaldo L.Villareal. NAST's ASM was a two-dayaffair held on 13–14 June 2011 at theManila Hotel.

Dr. Villareal mentioned thatorganic agriculture (OA) in our countryis young. It is progressing well but stillin its initial stage. Using data from othercountries, he states that this can help usstrengthen our position in OA. He alsoadded that they are using “organicagriculture” in a sense of treating it as aproduction system that has a place in ouragriculture for food security.

Dr. Villareal gave figures of OAgrowth in a global setting. Global salesof organic food and drinks as of 2002amounted to 23 billion USD. In 2007, itreached 46 billion USD and as of 2008,it amounted to as high as 51 billion USD.

More than one-third of theworld's organic land can be attributed to

rd

The many advances in foodproduction have resulted toquality and safety issues from

production to transport and storage. Onespecific issue that was given emphasis byworld experts is the effect of modern foodproduction processes on human healthand the environment, which was also thefocus of a recently concluded event, “FirstInternational Conference on Food andEnvironment-The Quest for a SustainableFuture” held on 21-23 July 2011in NewForest, UK. The conference provided avenue to initiate discussion on the bestways to provide food of required quality,sufficient quantities and in sustainableway taking into account its effect on theenvironment.

Organized by the WessexInstitute of Technology (WIT), theconference was attended by 42experts/researchers from 23 countriesincluding USA, UK, Canada, Australia,New Zealand, Norway, The Netherlands,Spain, Greece, Germany, Portugal, LatviaCameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Iran, SaudiArabia, Japan, India, Pakistan, China,Thailand, and Philippines.

Representing the Philippines wasMs. Julia A. Lapitan, head of the AppliedCommunication Division of the Bureau ofAgricultural Research (BAR). “The topicof the conference is relevant for us in theagriculture R&D sector as it delves notonly on the human health issue of food

Sustainability of

discussed in NAST 33 ASMrd

ORGANIC AGRICULTUREORGANIC AGRICULTURE

Oceania (38 percent), followed byEurope (24 percent), and then LatinAmerica (20 percent). Overall, there are1.8 million producers involved in theorganic endeavor.

In the Philippines, Dr. Villarealwent on to show a figure depictingwhat he said was a “modest” increasein organic production area from anestimate of 3,500 ha, involving 500farmers back in 2004, to about 52, 546ha in 2008–2009. This increase oforganic production area is estimated tobe 0.45 percent of our total agriculturalland.

The organic products we areexporting to Japan, South Korea,Malaysia, North Africa, as well asEurope, include coconut vinegar,banana, banana chips, fresh pineapple,yellow corn for feeds,sugar, virgin coconut oil, coffee, and

leaves and herbs. He stated thatbanana exports are provided even bysmallholders and big farmers fromDavao, South Cotabato, NuevaVizcaya. Ninety percent of organicpineapples are from Bukidnon and evena percentage can be credited to Lagunaand Cavite.

Even in the local market, OAhas already carved a particular niche

muscovado

banaba

with the demand for organic productssuch as rice, vegetables (lettuce,cucumber, tomato, , ,

, , mustard, ,squash, and eggplant), fruits,sugar, coconut vinegar, and herbs andspices (basil, mint, oregano, turmeric,lemon grass).

Successful governmentinitiatives stemming from as early as2003 influenced the development of OAin the Philippines, such as the PhilippineNational Standard for OrganicAgriculture and Processing(PNS/BAFPS 07:2003 ICS.65.020) andAdministrative Order 13 series of2003—accreditation of certifying bodies.Dr. Villareal also presented examples ofgovernment initiatives in terms ofresearch and development extension(RDE), citing DA-BAR Gap Analysis onOrganic Agriculture RDE.

The newest initiative is that ofOrganic Agriculture Act of 2010 (RA no.10068), a policy that aims to promote,propagate, develop further, andimplement OA in the Philippines.

However, questioning itssustainability in our country's setting, Dr.Villareal first defined OA as “aproduction system that sustains thehealth of soils, ecosystems and people.”

ampalaya okrakamote kangkong pechay

muscovado

to human health and environmentdiscussed in int’l conference

production process but its environmentimplications as well,” said Ms. Lapitan.

With the growing worldpopulation, comes the increasingdemand for food. Over the years,advances in food production have beendeveloped addressing higher and largerproduction to produce more food. “Butgiven the importance of higher foodproduction, food related problems havenot been adequately discussed in relationto the possible consequences to theenvironment, hence the importance ofthis conference topic,” Ms. Lapitan

added.Meanwhile, Professor Viktor

Popov of WIT opened the conferenceand mentioned the importance ofunderstanding the consequences thatfood production, processes anddemands can have on the food weconsumed daily. WIT is a centre forknowledge transfer across a widevariety of disciplines. “The conferenceprogramme is essential to achieve thisas it brings together scientists andtechnologists from many different partsof the world with a wide variety ofexpertise,” he said in his openingaddress. Prof. Brebbia also welcomedany collaborating efforts that WIT mayoffer, as afar as its expertise isconcerned to the delegation presentduring the conference.

Among the topics discussedduring the three-day conference were:1) impact of food production on theenvironment, 2) contamination of food,3) food processing issues, 4) traceabilityand temperature control; and 5)characterization of food plants. Papersthat presented at the conference werepublished in a special volume of WITTransactions in Ecology and theEnvironment. (Rita T. dela Cruz)

Effects of food production process

Ms. Julia A. Lapitan (right), head of BAR’s ACD, represents thePhilippines during the “First International Conference on Foodand Environment” held in New Forrest, UK. PHOTO: c/o JLAPITAN

July 2011 Issue July 2011 Issue

PHOTO: WIT

NEWSFEATURE: ORGANIC AGRICULTURE INTERNATIONAL EVENT

8 BAR hronicleCBAR hronicleC 13

OA relies on ecological processes,biodiversity, and cycles adapted to localconditions rather than the use of inputswith adverse effects. OA, he definesfurther, combines tradition, innovation,and science to benefit the sharedenvironment as well as promote fairrelationships and a good quality of lifefor all involved.

He showed a comparisonbetween Sustainable Agriculture (SA)versus Organic Agriculture, depicting thatalthough both share the broad goals, theyare not identical. Difference is apparentbeginning with the banning of certainpractices in OA, wherein its“justifications are being disputed, rightlyor wrongly, as not entirely supported byscience.” The non-use of these bannedinputs often leads to lower initial yields,usually during the transition period fromSA to OA.

Presenting developments anddate on the sustainability of OA in thePhilippines, Dr. Villareal took as anexample the Negros Island SustainableAgriculture for Rural Development(NISARD), which has been successful inits efforts of introducing OA, thuspossibly making it the “Organic FoodIsland of Asia.” In addition, sincegenetically modified organisms (GMOs)are not included under OA, they havestarted a campaign to ban the entry ofGMOs in the island. In MASIPAG, anassociation that brings farmers andscientists together for agriculture, results

of OA show that although some cropyields have been slightly lower, netincome has nonetheless increased. Addto this the success stories he presentedin terms of yield levels in organic riceand vegetables, sugarcane, and coffee,results show improved yield andincome.

The talk also covered organiclivestock, poultry, particularly thegrowth potential of native chickens. Dr.Villareal discussed that prospects fordeveloping a sustainable organicchicken and egg production includenative chickens that should suit organicrequirements, larger productive landareas that can be used for production oforganic feedstuffs, as well as a slow butsteady growing market for organicallyproduced meat and eggs.

According to Dr. Villareal,there are still parts in question regardingOA. After all, in terms of nutritionalvalue, studies show that no clear orconsistent difference could be foundbetween organic and conventionalfoods. In fact, there is no evidence that adiet high in organic foods is anyhealthier than a diet of conventionalfoods. In fact, organic farmers mayspray ten times more pesticides thannon-organic farmers. He added evenfurther that the difference betweenorganic and synthetic pesticides lies inits origin.

It is with these notable findingsand resulting inquiries that he indicates

certain points on the question ofsustainability of OA in our country.

The ecological aspect is thestrongest because it is agro-ecologically based. Hisrecommendations include the need forextensive studies to assess the financialsustainability which should greatlyinfluence the social and culturalaspects. Hence, his suggested RDEareas, some of which include thecomparison of conventional versus OAand chemical versus organic sourcesthroughout the whole system includingproduction, processing, and marketing.Also, constraints on yield must beassessed. A clearer picture must beproduced as to where a farmer canactually make money. He asks, wherecan the industries be more competitiveon a global scale? The economicviability of farming methods andpractice, land tenure for farmers, theaccessibility of markets, availability ofsafe water, trends in food consumption,and alleviation of poverty are essentialto the assessment and promotion of asustainable food system.

Towards the end of his talk,Dr. Villareal states that the practice ofOA on a bigger scale requires supportfrom research institutions that arededicated to agro-ecological methodsof fertility and pest management, astrong extension system, as well as acommitted public. (Maria Anna M.Gumapac)

Organicagriculture relies

on ecologicalprocesses,

biodiversity, andcycles adapted tolocal conditionsrather than the

use of inputs withadverse effects.

Agricultural Research (BAR) whowitnessed the launching of the Crops forthe Future Research Center (CFCRC).This was led and inaugurated by HisExcellency Dato Sri Mohd Najib TunAbdul Razak, Malaysian Prime Minister.The CFCRC is joint a venturecollaboration between the Governmentof Malaysia and the University ofNottingham Malaysia Campus. TheCenter will be an international researchcrop-based institution that will beengaged and responsible for thepromotion of neglected and underutilizedplant species.

The new research center will besituated in Semenyih, adjacent to theUniversity of Nottingham MalaysiaCampus, about 45 minute drive south ofKuala Lumpur. The centre, which isexclusively dedicated to research anddevelopment of neglected andunderutilized plant species, is the largestof its kind. It represents an investment bythe Government of Malaysia to the tuneof US$ 40 million covering theconstruction of the centre and itsoperation for the first 7 years, afterwhich the centre should become self-sustaining.

It has been observed andrecorded that these neglected andunderutilized vegetables and fruit cropsare low input crops and thus areimportant for agricultural diversification.Much of the natural ecosystem in whichthese indigenous species thrive isendangered due to increasedurbanization, deforestation and climatechange.

The five-day symposiumconsisted of scientific paperpresentations including the followingthemes: 1) nutrition, processing and end-users values, 2) economic and marketingpotential – building value chains, 3)physiology, agronomy and agro-ecological potential, 4) biotechnology,breeding and seed systems, and 5)strategic approaches for research anddevelopment.

There were 99 scientific paperspresented during the event, two of whichwere presented by Dr. Amparo A. Waganand Professor Lorenza Lirio of thePhilippines. Meanwhile, 73 posters werealso displayed for viewing throughoutthe entire symposium, two of which wereposters from the Philippines.

Dr. Amparo A. Wagan, of theUniversity of the Philippines Los Baños(UPLB), presented the paper titled,

(CFF News)

“Supply Chain Analysis of Value-adding Products from

( ): An UnderutilizedCrop in the Philippines.” According toDr. Wagan, there are still a numberwhose production and consumption hasremained limited to local communitiesand of almost insignificant nationaleconomic value, despite their potential,like the arrowroot or . Thedevelopment of products from this cropfurther revealed opportunities todevelop products of more economicallysignificant value and models for futureenterprise development, Dr. Waganconcluded.

Prof. Lorenza Lirio of theBenguet State University (BSU)presented her paper, “

: An Underutilized Grass for FoodSecurity and EconomicEmpowerment.” In her presentation, hearticulated that or

is known to have a wide array ofuses, but the economic potential hasbeen poorly addressed. Its value islargely confined mostly to traditional orlocal uses only. According to Dr. Lirio,in a study conducted from September2008 to October 2010, said that the cropis found to be nutritious and can beused as a supplement or even reliablesubstitute to rice. The report alsorevealed that there are two types of

— and Theformer is used as food, cooked asporridge, as coffee or as wine, while thelatter is made into ornaments likeearrings, bracelets, rosaries and bags.He also reported that it would beinherent for people to protect andconserve because they wouldknow that their livelihood and survivaldepend on the plant.

The numbers of speciesidentified and presented during thesymposium were enormous. The sheernumber of underutilized species, notonly in the Philippines, but elsewhere inthe world, could greatly contribute topeoples' food production and security.However, this poses a big challenge tothe Philippine government particularlyof the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The role of underutilized plantscrops and species can be seen as apotential source for food and medicineother than the traditional crops. Theseplants, however, can also contribute tothe conservation of biodiversity,

Marantaarundenacea uraro

uraro

Coix lacryma-jobi

Coix lacryma-jobiadlai

adlai cultivated wild.

adlai

Lessons learned and conclusion

income, nutrition and health.Many underutilized crops and

species still have not been givenpreferential attention by concernedagencies of government not until the lastdecade where the introduction of thesespecies are inching forward themainstream for crops development andthis was manifested in the presentationsmade by Dr. Wagan and Prof. Lirio on

and .

Prior to the participation to theevent, BAR has already been at theforefront of identifying and addressingthe potential of underutilized crops andspecies. In 2009, BAR launched theIndigenous Plants for Health andWellness Program (IPWH) Road Mapwhich serves as a guide document on the

utilization, promotion and developmentof the indigenous plants and its healthpromoting properties. The program isgeared on analyzing the potential andhealth benefits of the indigenous plants(IPs) found in the Philippines.Indigenous plants refer to species or sub-species of wild flora naturally occurringor have naturally established populationin the country. On-going researcheshope to place some of the country'suntapped IPs in the mainstream as potentsource of medicinal and functional foods.

Consumating the last day weregroup discussions on the development ofa joint action plan among concernedgroups to work together forcollaborations. Four topics, werediscussed keeping in line the overallthemes of the symposium. These were:1) using underutilized plant species asrisk buffers in times of climate change,2) using underutilized plant species forbetter nutrition, 3) meeting the challengeof enhanced and sustained market accessfor underutilized plant products, and 4)addressing the challenges regardingusing underutilized species withoutundermining agrobiodiversity.

It is hoped that participants willshare and discuss strategies that aim tomaximize knowledge acquisition,minimize duplication of efforts andidentify priority areas for furtherresearch and development.

uraro adlai

,

(Patrick RALesaca)

-------Sources:1.Crops for the Future.

http://www.cropsforthefuture.org/?page_id=22.Underutilized crop.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underutilized_cropPHOTO: RDELACRUZ

July 2011 Issue July 2011 Issue

INTERNATIONAL EVENT LOCAL EVENT

12 BAR hronicleCBAR hronicleC 9

The Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR) participated inthe “2 International Symposium

on Underutilized Plant Species”organized by the International Society forHorticultural Science (ISHS) withsupport from its Working Group onUnderutilized Plant and GeneticResources. The symposium, held everyfour years, was co-convened andsupported by the University ofNottingham Malaysia Campus, BritishCouncil, Crops for the Future, BioversityInternational, and the MalaysianAgricultural Research and DevelopmentInstitute (MARDI).

The Crops for the Future is anorganization dedicated to the promotionof neglected and underutilized plantspecies as a contribution to humanity. Itevolved from the International Centre forUnderutilized Crops.

The 1 International Symposium,which dealt with the underutilized plantspecies for food, nutrition, income andsustainable development, was held on 3-7March 2008 in Arusha, Tanzania.

This year, the gathering ofrenowned scientists, researchers, plantbreeders, universities, internationalresearch organizations and the scientificcommunities around the world convenedand gathered for the 2 InternationalSymposium on Underutilized PlantSpecies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on2011 June 27-July 1. The main theme forthis year's event was 'Crops for the Future– Beyond Food Security'. Mr. FestoMassawe of the University ofNottingham Malaysia Campus served asthe overall symposium convenor.

The 1 International Symposiumin 2008 convened 206 participantsrepresenting 55 countries. Based onvisual estimates, the 2011 delegatesnumbered more than 200 participantsfrom more than 50 countries. Theinformation provided will be validatedonce the final report from the 2011Organizing Committee has been finalizedand available. There are on-going talksthat the next symposium in 2016 will be

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The Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR) of theDepartment of Agriculture held a

two-day Philippine AgriculturalInformation Services Network(PhilAgriNet) training-workshop oninformation documentation andmanagement on 7-8 July 2011 at HotelKimberly, Tagaytay City.

PhilAgriNet is conceived due tothe demand for consolidated agriculturalliteratures which can be easily accessedby various stakeholders. PhilAgriNetaims to develop a strong network ofagricultural institutions that contributesto improve and expand the availabilityand accessibility of all agriculturalliteratures of the country. Having an up-to-date, comprehensive database willenable researchers and differentagricultural sectors do a literature searchwith less time and effort involved.However, one of the major hurdles facedby information officers and contributorsis how to index and catalogue theagricultural documents and uploading itin the PhilAgriNet database for theothers to use.

In line with this, a two-daytraining-workshop was conducted toequip the information officers of theDepartment of Agriculture (DA) on thenecessary knowledge and skills inindexing, cataloguing, and documentingagricultural literature generated by theirrespective institutions for input into the

BAR holds PhilAGriNet2-day training-workshop

PhilAgriNet and AGRIS databases.The event was attended by

information officers from the DA-Regional Integrated AgriculturalResearch Centers (RIARCs) andRegional Fisheries Research andDevelopment Centers (RFRDCs), andPhilAgrinet officers and contributors tothe database.

Ms. Julia A. Lapitan, head ofthe Applied Communication Division ofthe Bureau of Agricultural Research(BAR) delivered a message in behalf ofDirector Nicomedes P. Eleazar. in her

speech, she emphasized the importanceof research and development (R&D) inagriculture sector and the disseminationof these researches to the various sectorsof the society. She also mentioned thatthrough the development of PhilAgriNet,the necessity in having a central databasethat will gather and capture allagricultural literatures of the country isaddressed.

The training-workshop wasdivided into three sessions. The first twosessions focused on impartingknowledge about documentation andindexing. The last session was dedicatedin practical exercises and hands-onexperience in documenting, cataloguing,and indexing books, book chapters,journal articles, theses and non-bookmaterials and electronic resources.

Various experts on indexing anddocumentation were tapped to share ontheir knowledge and expertise to theparticipants. Among these experts areJulia Lapitan of DA-BAR, ConcepcionSaul of UPLB Library, Ryan JosephAbrigo of DA-BAR, Mila Ramos ofPhilAgriNet, Carmelita Austria of IRRILibrary, and Cherry Ann Barrientos ofUPLB. (Diana Rose A. de Leon)

Ms. Julia A. Lapitan, head of BAR’s Applied Communication Division, delivers a messagein behalf of Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar during the opening program of the two-dayPhilAgriNet training-workshop held in Tagaytay City. PHOTO: PhilAgriNet

BAR joins 2 InternationalForum on Plant Species

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held in Ghaha, Africa.However, date andvenue will be subjectedto further deliberationby the committee.

Professor IanPashby of theUniversity ofNottingham MalaysiaCampus and thechairman of this year'sinternationalsymposium welcomedeverybody for joiningand participating in theevent.

The presenceof developed anddeveloping countries inthe conference signalsstrong and pro-activeregional cooperationamong member-nationsto fight poverty andaddress food securitymatters.

Dr. HannahJaenicke, chair of theISHS Commission onPlant GeneticResources, stressed inher welcome remarksthe need to “lookbeyond food security” and thus theconcerns on “food nutrition” must alsobe addressed. Dr. Jaenicke added thatresearch on the so called 'underutilized'crop is not a new discipline and statedthat the interest in new crops is closelylinked to human development. Shelikewise discussed the cultural,historical and importance ofunderutilized crops.

The neglected andunderutilized crops have been definedas plant species that are usedtraditionally for their food, fiber, fodder,oil or medicinal properties, but have yetto be adopted by large-scale growers.

This year'ssymposium

They may have the potential tocontribute to food security, nutrition,health, income generation andenvironmental services. For a varietyof reasons, economic and cultural, theyhave been neglected or underutilized,although no definition has been offeredof what would constitute "proper" or"correct" levels of utilization

. There are roughly 400,000plant species worldwide and 50,000 ofwhich are edible.

The Philippine delegation wascomposed of technical staff andcoordinators from the Bureau of

(fromwikipedia)

Launching of CFCRC

PHOTOS: PLESACA/JCASTANETO

BAR Staff: Mr. Patrick Lesaca (top, left), Ms. Evelyn Juanilo (top, right),and Ms. Jennilyn Castañeto (bottom, center) represent the Philippines

at the 2 International Symposium on Underutilized Plant Speciesheld in Malaysia. Also in the photo is Ms. Sarah Grace Lapie Quiñones(center, top photo) of SEAMEO-SEARCA.

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Participants of the two-day PhilAgriNet training-workshop PHOTO: PhilAgriNet

July 2011 Issue July 2011 Issue

LOCAL EVENT LOCAL EVENT

10 BAR hronicleCBAR hronicleC 11July 2011 Issue

In line with the celebration of theNational Science and TechnologyWeek (NSTW), the Department of

Science and Technology (DOST) held theExpo Science 2011 on 27-30 July 2011 atthe SMX Convention Center, Mall ofAsia Complex.

The Expo Science 2011showcased the Filipino ingenuity andlatest breakthroughs in science andtechnology (S&T) not only for the benefitof the local S&T sector but also to raisepublic understanding of S&T. The eventfeatured S&T fairs and exhibits and otherevents that presented updates on what isgoing on within the local sciencecommunity. The expo science overallconcept pictures the mission and visionof the department towards the countrynational development.

This year NSTW's theme “” was chosen due

to two things: 1) there are still a lot ofthings to cover in conveying toconstituents the transformative andempowering potential of S&T; and 2) itis time for the S&T to be placed in thecenter-stage in the country's nationaldevelopment efforts. Latest initiatives inresearches, technologies, and services inthe areas of food and agriculture/aquaculture, health/pharmaceuticals,electronics, alternative energy,manufacturing/engineering,nanotechnology, information

NasaSiyensya ang Pag-asa

The Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR) featured resultsof its funded R&D projects on the

production and processing of agricultureand fisheries commodities which couldhelp the food sufficiency program of thegovernment during the 50 AnnualConvention of the Philippine Associationof Food Technologists (PAFT) at theSMX Convention Center, Mall of AsiaComplex, Pasay City on 6 July 2011.

BAR's project proponents fromthe Bicol Integrated Agricultural ResearchCenter (BIARC) and Southern LuzonState University (SLSU) in QuezonProvince showcased their latest projectsin an effort to address malnutrition andprovide livelihood opportunities in ruralareas.

BIARC featured the rice-likewhich is being promoted by the

Department of Agriculture (DA) throughBAR as a traditional staple food whichcould be eaten and prepared like rice orcorn. Adaptability trials on this crop areon-going in Regions 2, 4, 5, 9, and 10.

In his recent visit to the Bicolregion, BAR Director Nicomedes Eleazarsaw for himself the second phase of theon-going adaptability trials and seedproduction of at the experiment siteof BIARC.

BIARC planted three varieties ofnamely: , , and

. According to Ms. Ailyn Adante,

th

adlai

adlai

adlai, gulian ginampaytapol

BAR joins PAFT exhibit

BAR booth during the PAFT Exhibit featuring technologies from BAR-fundedprojects including adlai and herb-enhanced smoked tamban and dilis-fortifiedmalunggay powder. PHOTOS: MMOJICA/RDELACRUZ

BIARC project leader, results of theirfirst trial showed that varietyproduces the highest yield.

On the other hand, SLSUfeatured two projects funded underBAR's National TechnologyCommercialization Program (NTCP),namely: herb-enhanced smokedand -fortified powder.

The two project aims to takeadvantage of the healthy benefits andlivelihood opportunities from processing

and which are commonlyfound in the province. The projectproponents hope to increase the levels ofconsumption on nutritious food throughfortification.

Apart from the exhibit, thePAFT convention featured plenarysessions on different food technologyissues and concerns on 6-8 July 2011.During the opening ceremonies, PAFT

tapol

tambandilis malunggay

tamban dilis

President Rodolfo Panganibanwelcomed the participants.

Prof. Geoffrey Campbell-Platt,president, International Union of FoodScience and Technology (IUFoST)based in the United Kingdom was theevent's keynote speaker. Meanwhile, Dr.Miflora Minoza-Gatchalian, PAFTfounding president was also present togive her message. After the openingprogram, they led the ribbon-cuttingceremonies to officially open the exhibit.

Participants in the exhibitcomprised mostly of private companiesinvolved in food ingredients and foodproducts manufacturing and export.BAR was the only government agencyrepresentative under the Philippineblock of exhibitors that featureddifferent food ingredients such as

from seaweeds.Carageenan (MikoJazmine J. Mojica)

BAR participates DOST Expo Scienceto showcase Filipino ingenuity

President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III (2nd from right) with DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo(2nd from left) during the opening of the Expo Science 2011 featuring the most recent servicesand technologies from the DOST system. PHOTOS: LPADILLA

communication technologies,environment, disaster management andmitigation, and biotechnology wereemphasized as the DOST's centerpieceexhibit.

The other exhibitors were fromthe academe (SUCs and privateuniversities), business sectors andgovernment agencies.

As the Department ofAgriculture's (DA) lead coordinatingand funding agency in research anddevelopment (R&D) on agriculture andfisheries, the Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR) participated in thescience exposition. The BAR's exhibitbooth highlighted the rice-like andthe two banner programs of BAR:Community-based ParticipatoryAction Research (CPAR) andNational TechnologyCommercialization Program(NTCP).

His Excellency Pres.Benigno Simeon C. Aquino IIIserved as the keynote speaker. Inhis speech, the Presidentemphasized the importance ofinnovativeness of Filipinos inthe field of S&T to gear up thecountyr towards nationaldevelopment.

adlai

“…ang taglay napagkamalikhain ni Juan delaCruz ay may makabuluhangmga bunga at naka-sentro ang

kanyang mga imbensyon at inisyatiba sapag-aangat ng antas ng buhay ngkanyang mga kababayan” the Presidentsaid.

As part of the NSTW, theScience and Technology Award weregiven to deserving individuals who hadnotable achievements in science,technology, and innovation. TheOutstanding Research and DevelopmentAward for Applied Research or the JulianA. Banzon Medal was given to Dr.Lorenza Gonzalez-Lirio of Benguet StateUniversity (BSU) and the OutstandingScience Administrator Award or theDioscoro Umali Medal was given toUPLB Chancellor Dr. Luis Rey Velasco.

The National Scientist Award wasbestowed to Dr. Raul Fabella.

Through the ProclamationNo. 169, the third week of July wasdeclared as National Science andTechnology Week. The NSTW 2011is co-chaired by DOSTUndersecretary Fortunato T. delaPeña and Director Raymund E.Liboro of the DOST Science and

BAR participates..from page 11

July 2011 Issue

turn to page 10

PHOTO: RBERNARDO

BAR booth during the 2011 ScienceExpo Exhibit.

Technology Information Institute(STII).

Other activities NSTWincluded: Outstanding YoungScientist, Annual Scientific Meeting,Science for Kids, Starbookslaunching, Tagisang Robotics, S&TSummit and S&T Quiz Bee, and InTouch With Excellence. (Diana RoseA. de Leon)