2023 April 27

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said it has entered into an agreement with South Korea to fortify agricultural collaboration through the exchange of resources.

In a statement, the DA said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Kyungpook National University (KNU) of South Korea last Monday.

“The MOU, signed by DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) director Joell Lales, and KNU Daegu Gyeongbuk International Development Cooperation Center director Hwa Seok Hwang, aims to promote the exchange of scientific and technical resources related to agriculture and rural development,” it said.

The MOU, which was signed in the presence of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who is concurrent Agriculture Secretary, covers the agriculture and fishery development cooperation.

Under the agreement, “principles of clustering, consolidation, and professionalization of human resources” shall be highlighted through various activities.

“The activities will include organization of professional education and staff development programs, through training courses, symposia and conferences training on digital or smart agriculture, data science for agriculture, and advanced agricultural technology, among others,” the DA said.

Besides these, programs to provide growth for staff shall be also given, as well as continuous support to Master’s degree scholars.

Following the MOU signing, the Chief Executive also visited the exhibition of collaborative projects of the DA-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) and the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO).

Among the projects shown were a “corn mill project, lifter machine, onion mechanization system, truck-mounted and wall sprayer for African swine fever (ASF) and avian influenza (AI) biosecurity, a cultivator with various implements, and drone sprayer with a seed spreader.”

Through such collaboration, the DA pressed to achieve modernization in the country’s agricultural mechanization and technology. 

Stephanie Sevillano