Once again cementing its reputation as a hub for agricultural research, the town of Los Baños, Laguna recently witnessed the opening of a new research facility that aims to enhance the country's agricultural output.
The Agricultural Genomics Research Facility, the first of its kind in the country, was inaugurated inside the University of the Philippines - Los Baños campus (UPLB) last September 21.
The facility was opened in the presence of UPLB Chancellor Jose Camacho, Jr., UP System President Atty. Angelo Jimenez, Los Baños Mayor Neil Andrew Nocon, South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Dong-gy, and other officials.
The new facility is funded by the South Korean government through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and received support from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARD), and the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).
Camacho said the new research facility is set to strengthen research on the genetic characteristics of crops, livestock, and other agricultural resources, providing scientists and researchers with advanced tools for agricultural genomics.
“This will surely have a dramatic impact on agriculture, particularly on agricultural genomics, and ultimately, the end goal is food security. But before reaching food security, the genomics will improve crop variety, ultimately ensuring improvement in crops. Farmers will have access to crop improvement technology, crop variety and therefore that will ultimately translate to quality and affordability of prices and essentially food security,” the UPLB chancellor explained.
For Camacho, partnership and collaboration between national government agencies and organizations remain integral as they seek to improve the quality of research through their integrated resources and capabilities, and still resulting in thriving and fruitful outcomes.
“Improving the quality of research in the country translates to economic transformation, development, it will lead to increase of productivity and ultimately an improvement to the quality of quality ensuring a quality of life," he added.
The center is designed to support comprehensive research on a wide range of agricultural biological resources, including food and horticultural crops, fruits, livestock such as cattle, pigs, chickens and goats, as well as insects and microorganisms.
(With report from the Philippine Information Agency/OpinYon News Team)
#OpinYonLaguna #UPLB