Agri-10 participates in a virtual meeting to further aid the development of the soybean industry.
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Through a shared commitment to bolster the production of soybeans in the country, the Department of Agriculture National Soybean and Sorghum Program conducted a virtual meeting with DA regional field offices (RFOs) 1, 10, and 11 to discuss the agency’s proposed interventions for the said commodity on January 10 to 11.
In his message, Rodolfo N. Panganiban, national focal person for soybean, said that the meeting aims to gather inputs from the aforementioned regional offices, eyed as the project’s pilot regions, to craft a collective project proposal that tackles key industry challenges of soybean.
Such challenges identified in the proposal include limited local soybean varieties for optimal processing, damaged seeds due to unsound machineries, poor storage systems, unharmonized test methods with trading partners, unsystematic supply chain stakeholders, and the inability to address sustainable environmental concerns.
During the proposal drafting, representatives from the three RFOs tackled region-specific targets, activities, and expected outcomes that correspond to the proposal’s strategies to diversify commodity system-based production and value-adding and enterprise development.
It further tackles seed, food, and nutrition security, strengthens measures for environmental sustainability, fosters inclusive and equitable sector growth, and harmonizes the collaboration of local government units (LGUs) and RFOs for technology transfer.
DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado expressed his support for the project proposal, underscoring its implications on the current approach of the Department to refine the production of soybeans in the country and Northern Mindanao.
Further, the agri chief executive said that the endeavor is aligned with the agency’s mandate to support the production of agricultural crops, including soybean and sorghum, for food, feeds, and industrial uses as stipulated in Memorandum Order No. 15, Series of 2021.
As a pilot region, DA-10 will serve as the lead responsible office for the project’s activities on soybean adaptability and varietal improvement, product development, laboratory capacity building, and waste management.
In addition, the RFO will also assist in sub-activities and research on pest management, and soil fertility, as well as extension and training services and technology transfer in coordination with LGUs and farmers’ cooperatives, associations (FCAs).
Said meeting was supported by chiefs and personnel from the Field Operations, Integrated Laboratory, Regional Agricultural Engineering, Research, Regulatory, and Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation divisions, and research stations (Regional Crop Protection Center and Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex) of DA-RFO 10.# (GDA)