Eight facilities—five (5) animal housing facilities and three (3) research and development multipurpose buildings, were established through the Bayanihan 2 Project, “Enhancing Technology Transfer and Capacities in CAR” funded by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) amounting to Php37.5 million.
The facilities aim to enhance technology transfer to farmers in the region; showcase research and development-generated technologies; increase and produce quality planting materials of commodities and quality breeder stocks; and establish research and develop appropriate and viable agricultural technologies.
The facilities are located at the Baguio Animal Breeding and Research Center (BABRC), Dontogan, Baguio City and at the Research Outreach Station (ROS)-Luna, Apayao. At ROS-Luna, construction of poultry house and pig housing; improvement of the sheep facility; and the Research and Development Multipurpose facility were already completed. The multipurpose facility and pig housing were inaugurated on July 4, 2021 by the DA-RFO-CAR represented by the Research Division and Regulatory Division through Ms. Vilma O. Mosqueda, Senior Science Research Specialist and Mr. Ruben Dulagan, Regulatory Division Chief.
The multipurpose facility serves a conference/training venue for farmers, researchers, local government units and other stakeholders; display center or showroom for information and knowledge products; and administrative office for the Station staff. With this, ROS-Luna Manager Nicasio Baucas said that the facility provides better working environment for the staff and since it is strategically located, it is accessible for the constituents.
At the BABRC, construction of poultry house and pig housing was already completed. Project Engineers from the Research Division and Regional Agricultural Engineering Division (RAED) have assessed that construction of the two (2) Technology Resource Hubs, the Food Technology Center and the Plant Genetic Resource Center and Tissue Culture Laboratory, are still at their finishing stage as of September 9, 2021 due to factors such as the three-week monsoon rains experienced in July. Dr. Luis Lang-oy, Research Division Chief, hopes that inauguration of the research and development facilities will be in September 2021.
Sustainability plans of the project include establishment of multiplier farms from partners; assist farmers’ cooperatives or registered farmers’ associations in producing quality stocks to be distributed to interested growers in the region; partnership with DA-attached agencies such as the Agricultural Training Institute and the Bureau of Animal Industry for capability building activities and certification of producers of quality animal stocks. Marketing strategies and linkages is also seen as an essential sustainability plan.
Farmers’ cooperatives and organizations, researchers, students, entrepreneurs, cooperatives, local government units, state universities and colleges and other stakeholders are the target beneficiaries of the facilities.
“With the facilities, we hope to effectively transfer and showcase technologies generated from our research and development activities. We could also sustain the production of quality planting materials and quality and contribute to the conservation of traditional corn, heirloom rice seeds and other collected seeds through the Plant Genetic Resource Center,” expressed Dr. Lang-oy.
“Designed with greenhouses at the rooftop, the two Technology Resource Hubs at the BABRC would also serve as demonstration sites for urban agriculture. In Baguio City for example, anyone who can visit the place could have an idea that different vegetables could be grown even at their rooftops,” said DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Cameron Odsey.**Sherry Antonio, Research Division
