Volume 8 Issue No. 5 Official monthly publication of the Bureau of Agricultural Research MAY 2007

BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

BAR hronicleCVisit our official website at http://www.bar.gov.ph Gawad Oscar FlorendoAwardee for OutstandingInformation Tool for Print

ISSN 1655-3942Department of Agriculture

NEWS

BAR hronicleCDEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

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

Entered as second class mail at the Quezon City Central Post Office under permit no. 753-01 NCR

In this issue...

BAR celebrates Farmers & Fisherfolk.....................................1

2nd Regional Techno Forum head starts in ...........................1

BAR and OptiServe collaborate for ICT...................................2

Rillo wins 2007 Gawad Saka for outstanding.........................3

BAR links on DSLU-Manila on ITMSI program.......................4

SMIARC intensifies RDE for all commodities.........................5

BAR conducts IP awareness and training workshop............6

BAR spearheads pre-implementation meetings on...............7

ICT to boost DA programs and services....................,............8

Benefits from the “Queen”.......................................................9

Securing a sturdy ground for the duck..................................11

BAR leads synergy meeting on sweet...................................12

photo by Ricardo Bernardo

BAR celebrates Farmers and Fisherfolk Month;showcases 5 commerciable R&D technologies

(L-R) NBN’s Mag-Agri Tayo Host Philip J. Daffon, BAR Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar, UP-NCPAG Consultant Marideth R. Bravo, PADCCPresident Marriz B. Agbon, BAR Asst. Director Teodoro S. Solsoloy, and PCA-RDEB Deputy Administrator Carlos B. Carpio lead theribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the fair exhibit.

The Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR) showcased fivecommerciable technologies

during the 2007 Agriculture andFisheries Technology Forum, a first forthis year. The five featuredcommerciable technologies were 1)localized two-row pneumatic cornplanter, 2) hatchery technology formudcrab, 3) waxing emulsion for'Queen' pineapple, 4) sweet sorghum

production for ethanol, and 5) coco sugarfor health and wealth.

The forum, held on 24 May 2007at the RDMIC Building, Visayas Avenue,Diliman, Quezon City, coincided with theFarmer and Fisherfolk Month, whereinthe Department of Agriculture (DA) leadsin its annual celebration.

This year's theme, “StrongerTechnology-Investment Linkage forCompetitive Agriculture and Fisheries,”

underscores BAR's commitment to thechallenging role of modernizing thecountry's agriculture and fisheriesindustry, particularly on investingtechnologies with great impact at thegrassroot level. The Bureau makes it agreat concern that all R&D results areoptimally used and do not remain in theconfines of laboratories but to let thesesignificant technologies adopted and usedby farmers and fisherfolk to improve andincrease their production.

The activity kicked off with theopening ceremony with PhilippineAgricultural Development andCommercial Corporation (PADCC)

The first of a series of fourregional technology forumshas been conducted.

Spearheaded by theTechnology Commercialization Unit(TCU) of the Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR), the RegionalTechnology CommercializationForum for Agriculture Fisheriescommenced for Luzon B Clusterwhich covers Regions III, IVa, IVb,and V. It was hosted by the RegionalField Unit (RFU) of the Department

head starts in Luzon B Cluster2nd Regional Techno Forum

of Agriculture (DA) in Region V atthe Starmark Royale in Naga City, 30May 2007.

The one day event wasgraced by BAR Director NicomedesP. Eleazar who led the ribbon cuttingfor the opening of the exhibit togetherwith Naga City Mayor Jesse M.Robredo. Dir. Eleazar also served asthe keynote speaker for the event.

In his speech, he mentionedthat linking technologies through

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The Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR) held the 2ndLeveling-off and Synergy

Meeting for the Sweet SorghumInitiatives in the Philippines on 22 May2007 at the BAR Conference Room.,Visayas Ave., Diliman, Quezon City.Dr. William D. Dar, InternationalCrops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) directorgeneral, presided the meeting. Withhim were BAR Director Nicomedes P.Eleazar, Mariano Marcos StateUniversity (MMSU) Vice President forAdministration, Planning and ExternalLinkages Heraldo L. Layaoen, andUniversity of the Philippines LosBanos (UPLB) Vice Chancellor forResearch and Extension Enrico P.Supangco.

The activity underscored thecreation of a Technical Working Group(TWG) for the Philippine SweetSorghum Initiatives (PSSI).

Other attendees were Dr.Artemio M. Salazar of the Institute ofPlant Breeding-UPLB, Engr. Ari LuisdC. Halos of the College ofEngineering And Agro-industrialTechnology-UPLB, Prof. RexDemafelis of UPLB, President ZosimoBattad of the Pampanga AgriculturalColleges (PAC), Dr. Jocelyn E.Eusebio of the Philippine Council forAgriculture, Forestry and NaturalResources Research and Development(PCARRD), Dr. Santiago Obien ofBAR, Mr. Leonardo Q. Montemayor ofthe Federation of Free Farmers, andMs. Cheryl Marie Natividad ofOptiserve.

Among the specific topics

BAR leads synergy meeting on sweet sorghum initiatives

discussed during the meeting were: 1)Updates on Sweet Sorghum Initiatives,2) Sweet Sorghum presentation, 3)UPLB Biofuels Updates, 4) DraftTerms of Reference (TOR) of theTechnical and Oversight Committees,and 5) Comprehensive Monitoring andEvaluation System for Sweet Sorghum.

Dr. Layaoen reported thatMMSU is currently experiencingoverproduction of sweet sorghum seedsand added that the establishment ofseed storage facility which costs aroundPhp 5M is urgently needed. He said thatcredit institutions are averse toextending financial assistance to privateinvestors wiling to set up distillery plantutilizing sweet sorghum as biofuelfeedstock.

Dr. Dar requested that moredata should be made available toencourage both farmers and privateinvestor participation.

On the other hand, Halosupdated the upscaling project of sweetsorghum in the Philippines. He showed

the Philippine map indicating areaswhere the projects will be implemented.

Dr. Dar was keen on thedevelopment of downstream processingand equipment system for anhydrousethanol from sweet sorghum as part ofthe UPLB Biofuel Program, whichDemafelis has presented. Dr. Darsuggested that UPLB repackage theproposal on ethanol research andtraining plant.

The group also commented onthe draft TOR presented by Dr. Eusebio.Director Eleazar suggested theinvolvement of Mr. Marriz Agbon, DABiofuels Program focal person, in theOversight Committee and Mr. RainierPantua, rural infrastructure engineer, inthe Technical Committee, respectively.

Lastly, the TWG was taskedwith preparing the guidelines on theComprehensive Monitoring andEvaluation System which will be furtherdiscussed in succeeding meetings.(Maria Noriza Q. Herrera)

photo by Nicanor B. Del Rosario III

BAR hronicleCDEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

The official monthly publication of DA-BAR

RITA T. DELA CRUZmanaging editor/layout

MARLOWE U. AQUINO, PhDRITA T. DELA CRUZ

MA. ELOISA E. HERNANDEZMARIA NORIZA Q. HERRERA

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JULIA A. LAPITANVICTORIA G. RAMOS

MANUEL F. BONIFACIO, PhD

MARLOWE U. AQUINO, PhD

NICOMEDES P. ELEAZAR, CESO IV

writers

print manager

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head, MISD

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BAR Chronicle

Applied Communication Section

is the official monthlypublication of the Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR) of the Department ofAgriculture (DA), which is mandated toensure that all agricultural research iscoordinated and undertaken formaximum utility to agriculture.

This publication provides regular updateson BAR’s activities as the country’snational coordinator for agriculture andfisheries R&D; and highlights featuresand news articles concerning NaRDSAF-member institutions.

For subscription and inquiries pleasecontact:

Management Information and SystemsDivision (MISD)Bureau of Agricultural ResearchDepartment of Agriculture3/F RDMIC Bldg., Visayas Ave.cor. Elliptical Rd., DilimanQuezon City 1104

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Articles are also available online.Please visit

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Articles may be reprinted with permissionfrom the management.

NEWS

2 BAR hronicleC

FEATURE

BAR hronicleC 11

The Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR) andOptiServe Technologies, Inc.

(OptiServe) have forged an agreementto support DA programs with the useof information communication andtechnology.

The agreement is a jointcollaborative project titledEstablishment of the e-Pinoy FARMSfor a sustainable and ProfitableAgriculture and FisheriesCommunity-based Initiatives inSelected Pilot Regions. Commonlycalled e-Pinoy FARMS is an initiativeto direct the mainstream ofcommunity-based activities towardagriculture and fisheries development.e-Pinoy FARMS stands for electronicfarm resource management systems,an Enterprise Resource Planning(ERP) solution with built-in capabilityto integrate all data and processes ofan organization into a unified system.The key ingredient of e-PinoyFARMS is the use of unified databaseto store data for the various systemsmodules which includeFarmer/Fisherfolk OrganizationModule (e.g., Daily OperationsManagement and ProductionScheduling); Local Government Unit(LGU) Module (Farmer/FisherfolkProfile, Organization/AssociationProfile), Regional IntegratedAgricultural Research Center(RIARC) Module (Community-basedParticipatory Action Research (CPAR)Project Monitoring and EvaluationModule) and BAR Module(Information Consolidation,Integration and Analysis Module).

The modules have uniquefeatures that support and enhancedecision-making process of specificcommunity-based activities, includingoperation and management.More specifically, the project enablesstakeholders to effectively monitor thevalue-chain management, value-adding and rise in agri-enterprisedevelopment and more diverse meansfor household income; providesmechanism for process documentationof community-based initiatives;strengthens linkage and network withlocal government units and researchinstitutions through participation and

BAR and OptiServe collaborate forICT community-based initiatives

complementation; and providesaccess to information/technologies,including possible market linkages tofarmer/fisherfolk associations andcooperatives for informed decision-making.

In addition, the project willmake use of community informationexchange strategies to be wellmanaged by the key players andstakeholders in order that agricultureand fishery products will beproduced, processed, distributed, andchanneled where they are mostneeded for markets and consumers.

After two months of projectconceptualization and approval, itsimplementation is now in full swingin Regions IX and V in support of theCommunity-based ParticipatoryAction Research (CPAR) modality ofthe identified poorest provinces in thecountry. The provinces ofZamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga delNorte, and Camarines Norte will havethe initial run of the system andmodules to make sure agriculture andfisheries is a real business enterprise.

Regular monitoring andevaluation feedback mechanism andprocess documentation are includedin the project’s entirety in order thatkey processes, lessons, andexperiences will be recorded for thenext expanded area coverage. Thiswill be further operationalized andinstitutionalized in all DA and DA-BAR community-based initiatives atthe regional, provincial, municipal,and barangay levels. (Marlowe U.Aquino, PhD)

Every time the ducks quack, itmeans that something orsomeone is bothering them.

Either they are being warded off fromtheir place or they stood on a shakyground.

This anecdote holds true for thecurrent situation of the duck industry inthe country.

Duck, although ranked secondonly to chicken for egg and meatproduction, is also a crucial subsector ofthe Philippine poultry industry. Itprovides employment and income-generating opportunities for Filipinos,particularly those in the rural areas.

Among the avian species, duckis considered the most adaptablebecause it can survive under a widerange of climatic and nutritionalconditions. Duck raising is inexpensive,requires non-elaborate housingfacilities, and needs very minimal spacefor rearing compared to chickens.Ducks are also shown to be relativelyhardy, resistant to common diseases,and subsist on a variety of feeds.

Over the years, the duckindustry has been hounded by variousquandaries and constraints both in itsproduction and marketing aspects. Butsince this industry is a local resource-based, it slowly gained its phase. Evenimportation seems not to be a seriousthreat to the domestic supply since alarge portion of the demand for duckmeat and eggs is still being met bycurrent domestic production.

However, with the recent threatof the bird flu disease with rumors andspeculations of its entry into thecountry, the industry is once againalarmed. This threat comes with otherrelated series of problems such as highcosts and poor quality of feed materials,

high variability in the quality of stocks,erratic prices of duck products, and highpossibility of the entry of imported duckegg products.

With these scenarios in mind,the Duck Industry Association of the

Securing a sturdy grfor the duck industry

RITA T. DELA CRUZ

Philippines (DIAPI), together with theAustralian Center for InternationalAgricultural Research (ACIAR), thePhilippine Council for Agriculture,Forestry and Natural ResourcesResearch and Development (PCARRD),Livestock Development Council (LDC),the Bureau of Agricultural Research(BAR), and University of thePhilippines Los Baños (UPLB)convened major stakeholders both fromthe government and private sectors toembark on a discussion and addressissues and concerns that hound the duckindustry in the Philippines. The forumwas held on 31 May- 1 June 2007 inAngeles City, Pampanga, with thetheme, “Philippine duck industry:

Coping with the Changing ProductionSystems.”

Specifically, the industry forumwas conducted to disseminate recentinformation and technologies to duckraisers, egg processors, and distributors

and equip them on how to improve andincrease their production. With thepresence of key players from the industry,the activity aimed to discuss currentproblems confronting the local duckindustry, particularly on the issue of birdflu and how to abate this threat.

Ultimately, it is expected that adynamic and effective partnership isforged between and among private playerswith appropriate support from thegovernment.

Topics of papers presented duringthe forum included 1) Status and concernsof the Philippine duck industry; 2)Prospect for duck producers in thePhilippines; 3) Duck anger; 4) Raisingducks in confinement, 5) Impact of avian

influenza and other health-related issueson the duck industry, 6) Feedmilling andfeeding of ducks, 7) Duck breeds andbreeding, 8) Product development andvalue adding of duck products, and 9)

photos courtesy of PCARRD

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FEATURE NEWS

BAR hronicleC10 BAR hronicleC 3

Erlinda P. Rillo of the PhilippineCoconut Authority (PCA)-Albay,anis this year's awardee for the

outstanding agriculturalscientist.

Rillo was chosen out of thethree finalists who made it in thecategory. She will receive the awardduring a simple ceremony at theMalacañang Palace in June.

Rillo is division chief III and aCareer Scientist IV as conferred by theDepartment of Science and Technology(DOST). Her fields of specializationsinclude coconut crop protection, tissueand embryo culture, and plantmicropropagation, which shecontinually improves at her base at thePCA-Albay Research Station in Banao,Guinobatan, Albay.

One of her greatestcontributions in this field is therehabilitation of farms in thecountry despite the minimal fundinggiven to her to pursue her research. Herresearch work paid off when shedeveloped media formulations thatenabled the commercial production of

seedlings. This eventuallyled to the improvement of thePhilippine coconut gene pool andrevival of plantations in thecountry. Currently, anadditional 100 hectares have beenplanted to or a 25 percentincrease in area planted. Her work hasuplifted the lives of coconut farmers inthe Bicol region.

expert in embryoculture,

makapuno

Gawad Saka

makapuno

makapuno

makapuno

makapuno

Rillo wins 2007outstanding agricultural scientist

Gawad Saka

Rillo’s significantaccomplishment have made her as oneof the most sought afterscientists/experts in the field of

tissue culture.Other two finalists for this

award were Dr. Lutgarda S. Palomar ofthe Leyte State University (LSU) andDr. Louella Rowena A. De Jesus of theSouthern Tagalog IntegratedAgricultural Research Center(STIARC).

Dr. Palomar, head of theDepartment of Food Science andTechnology of LSU, is an expert in thefields of food science and technology,product development, and nutrition anddietetics. Despite the limited fundingfrom the state university, Dr. Palomarmanaged to source out and generatefunds for her research and extensionactivities.

She collaborated with bothnational and international agencies andhelped various agriculture communitiesby providing them with alternativesources of livelihood, from foodprocessing to packaging and gettingtheir products to the market.

A number of her technologieshave been submitted for patenting. Herlatest achievement involves enhancingfood processing techniques byoptimizing the formulation ofingredients using the response surfacemethodology. This statisticalmethodology explores the relationshipbetween several explanatory variables

makapuno

and one or more response variables.Put it this way, you conduct a

number of experiments to come up withthe optimal or the most favorableconditions to come up with bettertasting, more nutritional food withminimal waste of ingredients. Also, herachievements have been recognized bythe science community and ruralfarmers.

The other finalist, Dr. De Jesus,a senior agriculturist of DA Region IV-B,is known for her pioneering work oncontrolling the spread of mango pulpweevil. Her research work on mangopulp weevil and the technologiesdeveloped are being applied by mangogrowers to control the spread of the pestin Palawan.

While working closely with thePhilippine Nuclear Research Institute(PNRI), her initial findings showed thepotential of irradiation treatment toquarantine the infestation of the mangopulp weevil. Her research has beenmostly in the Southern part of Palawan,specifically the town of Brooke' Point,where the pest was first found andidentified.

Currently, Dr. De Jesus isstudying the morphology of the mangopulp weevil, which will lead to more

methods of how to control, if noteradicate, the pest, which has been abane to mango producers of Palawanand the mango export industry as awhole.

This year's winner was judgedbased on a prudent evaluation andfield validation conducted by theNational Technical SearchCommittee (NTC) that later came upwith a recommendation to theNational Executive Committee andthe Board of Judges of the 2007Gawad Saka Search for OutstandingAchievers in Agriculture andFisheries. (Jude Ray P. Laguna)Makapuno embryo culture, Dr. Rillo’s pioneering work and contribution in R&D.

paper. In turn, the handmade papercan be made into handicrafts, noveltyitems, paper thread and paper fabric.

The use of pineapple fiber inthe textile industry has long beenrecognized and the demand iscontinually increasing. Together withabaca and banana, fiber from the'Queen' pineapple is now beingdeveloped as substitutes for cellulosefibers. Its considerable volume ofproduction is being eyed tosupplement the limited production ofcotton.

In the case of LPMCP, thecooperatives' fiber-based products aremarketed locally and internationally.Currently, the cooperative supplies itshandwoven Formosa pineapple clothto Laguna-based embroiders,garments manufacturers, boutique,and department stores. With thedemand in foreign markets for goodpiña cloth that can meet thepreference of high end consumers,the cooperative has also targeted toexport its handwoven products to

Market potential

Japan, Hong Kong, USA, Canada,France, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland,Italy, The Netherlands, and othercountries in Asia.

Meanwhile, the signing ofRepublic Act 9242, otherwise known as“An Act of Prescribing the Use of thePhilippine Tropical Fabrics for Uniformsof Public Officials and Employees andfor Other Purpose,” will eventually callfor the commercialization of thedecorticated piña fiber which is needed inthe fabrication of cloth. Thedemand for the cloth will soonincrease pursuant to RA 9242. This willeventually require increase in the marketproduction of the tropical fiber to meetfuture demands.

Aside from the manufacturers ofschool and office uniforms, the machinedecorticated fiber can also targetmanufacturers of carpets, bags, andhandicrafts, spinning mills, and foreigncompanies.

The handmade paper from themachine decorticated fiber commandsgood price in the market due to itsdistinct overall quality. This product is

polypiñapolypiña

very popular in foreign countries suchas Japan, USA, and Australia, and inEurope. Potential markets for thisproduct would be easy to find as craftsand novelty items made from thehandwoven paper are always indemand in the local market.

The Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR) is mandated tocoordinate agriculture research anddevelopment activities. More so, itdefines its role in the modernization ofagriculture through thecommercialization of maturetechnologies that would be of greathelp to our Filipino farmers andfisherfolk. The extraction offiber from the leaves of the 'Queen'pineapple and its fabrication into clothor paper is just another among themany mature technologies ready forcommercialization that will bebenefitted by the farmers and of thosein the marginalized and businesssectors.

Being among the flagshipcrops of Camarines Norte, whether as afruit crop or a fiber crop, the 'Queen'pineapple has marked its contributionto at least alleviate poverty in one ofthe poorest provinces in the country.

BAR's endeavor

------

Sources:1. The official website of regional development

council V. 13 June 2007.<http://www.rdc5.gov.ph/lindgcp_320/camarines_norte.htm>

2. The official website of the Labo ProgressiveMutt-Purpose Cooperative. 13 June 2007.<http://www.labocoop.org/index.html>

3. Morton, J. Pineapple. 1987. Fruits of warmclimates. 14 June 2007.<http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/pineapple.html>

commercialization is the solution onhow to disseminate the results of theefforts that were invested in researchand development. Moreover, Dir.Eleazar stated that BAR is taking arole that goes beyond coordinatingand funding researches bysupporting the critical step ofmaking new technologies availableto the public as products or services.

Adopting the theme of theNational Technology Forum“Stronger Technology-InvestmentLinkage for Competitive Agricultureand Fisheries”, nine maturetechnologies ready for promotion

and commercialization were presented.These includes: (1) Machinedecorticated fiber, hand-woven piñacloth, and handmade paper productionfrom Formosa 'Queen' pineapple, (2)Environmentally sound aquaculturetechniques: Use of tobacco dust inmilkfish pond culture, (3) Village- levelCashew Apple processing, (4) Improvedtechnologies for the enhancement oflanzones production inCALABARZON, (5) Tamarind wineproduction, (6) Oil-based waxformulation and protocol for 'Queen'pineapple and 'Satsuma' mandarin, (7)Dehydrated 'Queen' pineapple

production, (8) Socorro-Claveron-Velarde (SCV) fish eggs artificialincubator for intensive tilapia hatcherysystem, and (9) Community-basedmushroom laboratory.The conduct of the regionaltechnology forum aims to establishmore partnerships to make the channelof mature technologies more efficient.The remaining regional technologyforums for Luzon A Cluster (RegionsI, II, and CAR), Mindanao Cluster,and Visayas Cluster will be held inJune, August, and September,respectively. (Ellaine Grace L.Nagpala)

2nd Regional...from page 1

Erlinda P. Rillo

NEWS FEATURE

BAR hronicleC4

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BAR hronicleC 9

BAR links with DLSU-Manila on ITMSI program

Camarines Norte takes pride inbeing the fourth largestpineapple-producing province

in the country. In 2006, it devoted atotal land area of 2,400 hectares for theproduction of the 'Queen' pineapple( cv. 'Queen'). The'Queen' or Formosa cultivar has beenfound to be very adaptable to the soiland climate of Camarines Norte whereit is usually intercropped with coconut.

The 'Queen' is among the threecultivars of pineapple cultivated in thecountry; the two others are 'SmoothCayene' and 'Red Spanish'. It is a smallvariety whose weight does not exceedtwo kilograms. As compared to'Smooth Cayene', ‘Queen’ is moreresistant to disease infection. The'Queen' pineapple is also renowned forits golden yellow flesh, crisp texture,and mild delicate flavor which made itvery suitable for fresh consumption.

But the pineapple is more thana source of nutritious fruit for snack ordessert.

In all the 12 towns ofCamarines Norte where an average of25,000 'Queen' pineapple is plantedevery hectare, a batch of 875,000leaves can be derived. Such number ofleaves can be considered as a farmwaste. However, instead of totallydiscarding the pineapple leaves, theresidents of Camarines Norte havethought of something where they coulddevelop the waste product intosomething useful and beneficial.

The Labo Progressive Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LPMCP) isamong the institutions in Labo,

Ananas comusus

hronicleDEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Benefits from the ‘Queen’

Ellaine Grace L. Nagpala

Camarines Norte that promoteslivelihood projects on pineappleproduction and integrated leavesprocessing. Among its missions is toprovide more employment and createmore innovative products that willrespond to the needs of its membersand the international market.

During the recently heldregional technology forum for LuzonB Cluster in Naga City, the generalmanager of the LPMCP, Mr. Mario M.Espeso, presented products that can bederived from the Formosa pineapple,specifically from its leaves. Theproduction of handwoven andmachine- decorticated fibers is amongthe livelihood programs of the LPMPCfor its members, the majority of whomare farmers.

The became famousfor the use of handwoven cloth fromthe fibers of the pineapple leaves asidefrom being the national costume of theFilipinos.

The LPMPC has adopted themethod of producing fibers form theleaves of the pineapple through manualscraping from the Philippine TextileResearch Institute (PTRI). Contrary tothe fibers produced using a machine,the manual scraping method producesgood quality fiber since it allows theseparation of the white, fine, and lowin strength fibers from the coarse,brownish, strong fibers. The fibersextracted from the leaves of the'Queen' pineapple are suited for themanufacture of piña cloth since it has

passed thetest onfineness,tensilestrength, andthe requiredqualitystandard bythe PTRI.

Thefibersderived from

Handwoven piña clothBarong Tagalog

the leaves of the 'Queen' pineappleundergo the punctilious task of weaving toachieve a piña cloth. Sometimes, thefibers are interwoven with silk to come upwith piña silk, which is later made to

, , or

The LPMCP pioneered the use ofmachine decorticator in Camarines Nortein extracting the fiber from the leaves of'Queen' pineapple. With the use of themachine, the time spent on the extractionof fibers from the pineapple leaves becameshorter, and the job became relativelyeasier as compared to the manualextraction method.

Generally, the fiber extractedthrough this method is strong and silky inappearance, hence, can be manufacturedeither into fabric or paper.

The cloth is a fine,translucent fabric composed of 20 percentdecorticated fiber blended with 80 percentpolyester. The cloth is used as a textilematerial for office and school uniforms.Due to its good quality, the clothwas launched as one of the tropical fabricsalong with banana and abaca fabrics in the1st International Manila FAME MarketWeek in 1997.

The decorticated fiber is also anexcellent material in making a handmadepiña paper as it produces a fine, smooth,thin paper. This can be mixed with othermaterials such as or rice straw tomake the paper stronger at the same timeyield a different quality of handmade

Barong Tagalog camisas kimona.

polypiña

polypiña

cogon

Fabric and paper from machinedecorticated fiber

The Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR) commitmentto serve its partners and

clientele has extended beyondresearch and developmentinstitutions.

Now, BAR is closelyworking with a well-establishedacademic institution in Metro Manila,De La Salle University-Taftparticularly the College of ComputerScience (CCS). The partnership isBAR's outreach program for students.

The BAR and DLSU-Taftagreement is the InformationTechnology Management StudentInternship (ITMSI) Program. Theprogram was initiated by Dr. CaslonChua, dean of CCS and Ms. LornaMagpantay, CCS Student Internshipcoordinator, and Dr. Marlowe U.Aquino, head of BAR-MISD.

The agreement was formallysigned by BAR Director NicomedesP. Eleazar and Dr. CarmelitaQuebengco, DLSU-Manila executivevice president on 18 May 2007.

The ITMSI program's goal isto establish a strong partnership on aninformation communication andtechnology (ICT) managementprogram and services that encourageholistic and development-orientedlearning strategy between the twoagencies. The program will provideareas of collaborative activitiesbetween the faculty and students ofDLSU and the staff of BAR-MISD onICT.

Furthermore, the program willassist in the establishment of alearning laboratory of ICTmanagement for individuals andagencies; develop capabilities ofindividuals on ICT management,including research methodologiesapplicable in areas of agriculture,fisheries, computer science, andrelated fields; and provide an avenuefor information and communicationexchange programs of stakeholdersand key players.

The identified programservices which both parties could work

on will focus and complement on arethe following areas: systems analysisand design, systems development,module or component development,complete software development,website or web applicationdevelopment, information systemssupport activities, technical writing,user technical support activities,technology research, technologymanagement and planning, researchmanagement including planning,implementation, monitoring andevaluation focusing on agricultureand fisheries development.

The program will start thisschool year 2007-2008 during theJune opening term of DLSU. Bothagencies envisioned that the newinitiative will provide a very goodpool of ICT experts and professionalin the area of agriculture andfisheries information technologymanagement which utilizes the ICTin making agriculture and fisheries abusiness activity. (Marlowe U.Aquino, PhD)

President and DA-Biofuels ProgramFocal Person Marriz B. Agbon readingthe keynote address in behalf of DAUndersecretary Emmanuel M. Paraswho was unable to attend the occasion.

In his message, UdersecretaryParas emphasized the significance oftechnology commercialization inuplifting the lives of the marginalized

BAR celebrate...from page 1

BAR Dir Eleazar (right, standing) delivers his welcome message to the participantsand attendees. In his message he emphasizes the importance role of farmers andfisherfolk and the role of BAR, particularly R&D, in making their lives better.

photo by Rita T. dela Cruz

Filipino farmers and fisherfolk. He alsounderlined the importance of government-industry link up in every technologycommercialization effort. “Linkages andnetworking are natural processes intechnology commercialization; thesuccess rests solely on the ability of boththe government and the industry to devisesuch link up strategically,” he stressed.

The opening ceremony wasfollowed by the ceremonial ribboncutting and viewing of exhibits led byPADCC President Agbon and BARDirector Nicomedes P. Eleazar. Theywere assisted by NBN's Mag-Agri TayoHost Philip J. Daffon , University of thePhilippines-National College of PublicAdministration and Governance (UP-NCPAG) Consultant Marideth R. Bravo,BAR Assistant Director Teodoro S.Solsoloy, and Philippine CoconutAuthority- Research Development andExtension Branch (PCA-RDEB) DeputyAdministrator Carlos B. Carpio.

The afternoon activities werecapped by the paper presentations of thefive featured commerciable technologies,the purpose of which was to provide avenue for inquiries and comments forinterested investors and entrepreneursfrom the private sector.

Farmer and Fisherfolk Month isannually celebrated every May asdeclared by Proclamation No. 33 in 1989by then President Corazon Aquino. Theactivity honors the invaluablecontributions and importance of farmersand fisherfolk in nation building. (Rita T.dela Cruz)

NEWS NEWS

BAR hronicleC8 BAR hronicleC 5

ICT to boost DA programs and services

photo courtesy of RFU III

photo courtesy of RFU III

In celebration of this year’s Farmerand Fisherfolk Month, theSouthern Mindanao Integrated

Agricultural Research Center(SMIARC) conducted a Livestock andResearch Week on 21-25 May 2007.

This year's theme was“

”.One of the highlights of the

event was the inauguration of theCentral Experiment Station inManambulan, Tugbok District, DavaoCity on 25 May. Mr. Tito Z. Arevalo,OIC-head of the ResearchCoordination Division (RCD) of theBureau of Agricultural Research(BAR), led the ribbon cuttingceremony which officially opened thestation to the public.

The station has a nursery nethouse, vegetable packing house,improved pressurized irrigation system(PIS), and farmer training center. Thisalso led to the improvement of thefarm- to market- roads in the region.

A field day was held for theparticipants to visit the differentvegetable projects, one of which is the“Agapito Regulation AlliedBotanicals”. The sweet sorghum andthe fruits and vegetable agribusinessdevelopment projects were likewiselaunched.

One of the promising featuresof the station is its research anddevelopment and extensioncomponents for all commodities. Thestation covers the GMA bannerprograms on rice, corn, livestock, andhigh-value commercial crops.

The development aspect

Pagkaing Sapat at MasustansiyaPara sa Lahat

SMIARC intensifies RDE

covers networking and interagencylinkages, institutional developmentprojects, and agribusinessdevelopment. On the other hand,extension works involve technologytransfer, promotion andcommercialization. The station alsoprovides electronic sourcing andretrieval of information, education, andcommunication (IEC) materials.

BAR, through its Community-based Participatory Approach Research

(CPAR) program, covers agribusinessdevelopment projects (ADPs). Some ofthese are on hog fattening and breeding,cattle breeding, goat production, cardababanana and mango processing andproduction. It also has a diversifiedcrop/livestock farming system.

To date, there are 20 BAR-fundedprojects. Areas covered are rubberdevelopment; studies on corn, potato,vegetables, tomato, sweet pepper, dragonfruit and durian; and research on thecharacterization of expansion areas forpriority crops in Southern Mindanao. (Ma.Eloisa E. Hernandez)

for all commodities

photos courtesy of SMIARC

The Department of Agriculture's(DA) response to the cyberspaceera is getting its momentum by

making information andcommunication technology (ICT) a partof its program implementation anddelivery of services. This was reportedin a recent DA Management Committeemeeting that includes the appropriateutilization, application, andmanagement of ICT systems andactivities.

The DA move is envisioned toutilize all aspects of ICT to boost the

(GMA)banner programs for rice, corn, highvalue commercial crops, livestock andpoultry, and fisheries in makingagriculture and fisheries a businessactivity toward development.

The use of ICT is seen asanother strategy to propel theagriculture and fisheries sectorsresponsive to the growing global trend.Today, ICT is considered as the “inthing” for development becausebusiness is the primary objective of thesectors.

Given this, the e-commercemodality will accelerate the differentagri-fishery businesses of quality

Ginintuang Masaganang Ani

Philippine produce. At the same time, italso encourages the use of e-learningmodules that will use electronicinformation and technology trainingmaterials to improve the productionmanagement systems of major DAcommodities.

The DA-Philippine RiceResearch Institute (PhilRice) experiencespecifically on rice, the initial e-learningmodule is now nationally utilized toimprove the hybrid rice program. OtherDA agencies involved in the process ofdeveloping other commodity e-learningmodules will address the needs of farmersand fisherfolk, including agri-fisherytechnicians, in the coming months.

Furthermore, e-extensionmodality will boost the technologytransfer system of agriculture and fisheryfor better local interaction andcollaboration between and amongresearch and development institutions,extension workers, development-orientedpractitioners, and local government units.

The initial four agenciesinvolved in the e-Agriculture programusing ICT for DA programs and servicesare the Bureau of Agricultural Research(BAR), Agricultural Training Institute(ATI), PhilRice, and DA-Information

Technology Center for Agriculture andFisheries (ITCAF). Other agenciessupporting this initiative are theAssociation of Colleges of Agriculturein the Philippines (ACAP) headed by itspresident, Dr. Zosimo M. Battad of thePampanga Agricultural College (PAC),Commission on Higher Education(CHED), and Philippine Council forAgriculture, Forestry, and NaturalResources Research and Development(PCARRD).

All non-DA agencies signifiedsupport through technical assistance,program management, and capability-building activities.

Through this activity, DAbelieves that its programs and serviceswill be known not only in thePhilippines but in the rest of the world.Agriculture and fisheries development isnow a global playground of people inthe cyber network. Notwithstanding,ICT will surely make Philippineagriculture a business-- a business sodynamic that it encourages key playersto respond to the challenging andgrowing trend of quality Philippine agri-fishery products as competitive as thoseof the rest of the world. (MarloweAquino, PhD)

Presentation on the Candaba Swamp.Presentations were followed

by open forums, enjoiningparticipants to inquire, comment, andsuggest on the topics discussed.Information gathered from thediscussions served as outputs for anindustry resolution or position paperfor submission to the DA Secretarywith emphasis on the current industrysituationer and what the governmentcan do to support the duck industry.

Major discussions led to the

Securing...from page 11

identification of current problemsconfronting the local duck industry andproduction management options andinnovative marketing strategies to ensuresustainability of the local duck industry.

Eggs are the most importantproducts of the duck industry due to theincreasing demand for duck eggs (fresh,

, , salted eggs, and centuryeggs).

One key issue brought up in theforum, duck producers associationidentified the need for government to

balut penoy

intercede in elevating the duck industryto greater heights given that duckproducts such as salted eggs and balut asexotic products have immense potentialin penetrating export markets. The needto consider organic production of ducksand duck products was also identified.

Although key issues, problems,and concerns were identified in theforum, stakeholders need to be alwayson the lookout as threats will continue tohound the duck industry unless these areimmediately addressed and abated.

Blessing of the SMIARC-Central Experiment Stationand new station projects.

(L-R) SMIARC Chief of Livestock Division Rafael Mercado, SMIARC Chief ofCrops Division Norlito Agdoyeon, BAR-RCD Head Tito Z. Arevalo, andSMIARC Manager Alfredo Cayabyab lead the ribbon cutting ceremony.

The newly inaugurated SMIARCCentral Experiment Station inManambulan, Tugbok District,Davao City.

NEWS NEWS

BAR hronicleC6 BAR hronicleC 7

hronicle

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

BAR spearheads pre-implementationmeetings on and abacaludong

The Intellectual Property RightsOffice (IPRO) of the Bureau ofAgricultural Research (BAR)

held a training workshop

toincrease the intellectual property (IP)awareness of various attachedagencies of the Department ofAgriculture (DA).

The activity started with awelcome message from BARAssistant Director Teodoro S.Solsoloy. Dr. Andrea B. Agillon,BAR IPRO head, discussed topics on:(1) IP management in agriculture:relevance of IP in economicdevelopment and in encouragingcreative talents; and (2) patentdocuments as a source oftechnological information.

IPs include patents,copyright, trademarks, trade secrets,utility model, industrial design plantvariety protection, and the plantbreeders' rights. Main creators forthese IPs are the R&D institutions,inventors, innovators, state collegesand universities (SCUs), and businessenterprises.

Engr. Merito J. Carag, chiefof the Bureau of Patents of theIntellectual Property Philippines,discussed the concept of patents. Heequipped the participants with thebasic knowledge on the benefits ofseeking patent protection andenumerated steps and the

on 30-31May 2007 at the RDMIC ConferenceRoom, Diliman, Quezon City

BAR conducts IP awareness and training workshop

BAR Assistant Director Teodoro S. Solsoloy welcomes the participants of the IPAwareness Training Workshop held at the Bureau.

photoby

Nicanor

B.D

elRosario

III

requirements on patent application.One of the overlapping terms

on IP protection is the utility model(UM) or industrial design. Engr. Caragenlightened the participants on thedifference of patents from utility modelas regarded as an enhanced indigenouscreativity.

Inventions must pass the test ofnovelty, inventiveness, and industrialapplicability to get a patent whileregistration for UM requires novelty andindustrial applicability. Patent and UMare protected for 20 years and sevenyears from the date of filing,respectively.

Atty. James Dennis C. Gumpal,IPR and legal counsel of BAR, alsoserved as one of the resource speakers inthe training workshop. He lecturedtopics on copyright and presented theBAR IP Policy.

Copyrightable works are

literary, artistic, musical, and scientificworks or production. Copyright holdershave the right to reproduce, producederivative works, and distribute to thepublic through selling, rental, and publicperformance and display.

The DA-BAR intellectual

property management system covers alldirectly-assisted and contractedagricultural research and developmentactivities of the bureau. One of theprinciples of the IP Management Systemencourages agricultural innovation andcreativity through promotion of ahealthy and conducive environmentresulting in the creation of intellectualproperty and technology. BAR alsoprovides services on prior art search,claim drafting, finalization of paper forsubmission, and legal counsel.

The second day marked theworkshop proper with Atty. Gumpal andEngr. Carag giving an overview on theguidelines on drafting an IPR policy andclaim, respectively. The participantswere later grouped and asked to reporttheir respective IP policies and claims.The workshop on IP Policy Draftinggave a very good opportunity for all thebureaus and attached agencies thatattended and have no IPR Policy yet, tohave their policy drafted and commentedduring the training.

Representatives from theagencies expressed their appreciationand thankfulness for having attended thetraining workshop. Dr. RelicardoColoso of the Southeast Asian FisheriesDevelopment Center Southeast AsianFisheries Development Center(SEAFDEC/AQD) acknowledgedBAR's efforts in creating awareness forthe different agencies and bureaus. Onhis prompting, a proposal for theconduct of IPR seminars in

Agencies that participated in thetraining workshop wereSEAFDEC/AQD, Philippine CoconutAuthority (PCA), Sugar RegulatoryAdministration (SRA), PhilippineFisheries Development Authority

(PFDA), National Dairy Authority(NDA), and National TobaccoAdministration (NTA).

A follow-up training workshopwill be conducted for the attachedbureau on 7-8 June 2007.

SEAFDEC/AQD inviting the workshopspeakers was drafted.

(Ma. Eloisa E.Hernandez)

Inventions must pass the test of novelty,inventiveness and industrial applicabilityto get a patent while registration for UMrequires novelty and industrial applicability.

The Bureau of AgriculturalResearch (BAR), mandatedto ensure that all agricultural

researches are coordinated andundertaken for maximum utility toagriculture, conducted Pre-implementation meetings (PIMs) fornewly funded projects under theDiversified Farm Income andMarket Development Project(DFIMDP).

The bureau’s ProjectDevelopment Division-ProjectEvaluation Section (PDD-PES), incoordination with the ResearchCoordination Division (RCD),spearheaded the PIMs on 1)Research and Development Studiesfor the Sustainable Management andConservation of(ludong) in Cagayan Valley” of theBureau of Fisheries and Aquatic

Cestraeus plicatilis

Resources (BFAR)-Region II; and 2)“Development of Virus-ResistantAbaca Cultivars Using ModernBiotechnology” of the FiberIndustry Development Authority(FIDA).

PIMs were conductedbefore the implementation of thenewly funded projects to fine-tunethe methodology, logical framework,work plan, budget, and otherimportant details of the projects.Also, the parameters for monitoringand evaluation of the project wereidentified.

FIDA's five-year projectaims to develop abaca varietiesresistant to abaca bunchytop virus(ABTV) using modernbiotechnology. This results inenhanced productivity andprofitability, increased farmer's

income, and a protected environmentand natural resources.

BFAR’s study on thereproductive biology of ofBFAR likewise aims to determine theother conditions and parametersaffecting the population dynamics of thespecies, geared toward its conservationand protection.

BAR, one of the attachedbureaus of the Department ofAgriculture (DA), serves as thecoordinating and funding agency for thetwo projects.

As stated in the Agriculture andFisheries Modernization Act (AFMA)of 1997, BAR shall undertake theplanning, integration, monitoring, andmanaging of fund-sourcing activities ofall agriculture and fisheries researchand development activities of thegovernment in coordination with otheragencies and the private sector.

The project is under theDFIMDP of BAR acquiring foreign-funding source. DFIMDP consists ofactivities that rationalize and giveproper direction, a time-boundimplementation plan for the transitionof the Department into a service-oriented agency, as envisioned byAFMA and as articulated by the DA’sown strategic plans.

DFIMDP aims to stimulaterural growth and farmer income byenhancing the competitiveness ofPhilippine agriculture and fisheriesthrough market-oriented private sector-led investments.

ludong

(Ma. Eloisa E.Hernandez)