The Korean-funded and -innovated smart greenhouse in NMACLRC of DA-10 in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, opens its doors for a showcase of strawberry production using said technology.  

 

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The Korean-funded and -innovated smart greenhouse housed at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex, one of the Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-10) research centers, had a showcase using said technology for strawberry production.

On March 9, 2022, the facility with grown San Andreas and Sweet Charlie varieties of strawberry, opened its doors following the completion on the construction of 11 units of smart greenhouse in November, last year, and on the installation of an automation system, early January, this year.

In her message, DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga lauded the support of the Korean government for the interventions and assistance accorded to the Philippine government, which are ultimately eyed to escalate the production of high value crops (strawberry, tomato, potato, and pepper) among Filipino farmers.

The P70.2 million collaborative project, dubbed as the ‘Establishment of Smart Greenhouse and Capacity Building in the Philippines’, is primarily funded by South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs thru the Korea Agency of Education, Promotion and Information Services in Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Philippines through DA-10 under the helm of Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado.

With said Project, Dir. Collado noted that it will encourage more and would-be farmers to engage in the production of high-value commodities year-round, boost farm efficiencies and spur more economic activities, using the technology introduced by the Koreans.

“This project is also very much aligned with one of DA’s key strategies on technology and innovation, including digital agriculture, to level up the region and the country’s agri sector, as well,” the agency head also underscored.

Among other modern features of the said facility is the installation of irrigation and automation systems such as complex environment control, farming management, growth and development information, and management, which even allows one to monitor at their own comfort using smart phones.

For her part, DA-NorMin Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations Carmelita T. Bajarla remarked, that the Korean technology is timely and appropriate to keep abreast with the demands of time.

“Without agriculture, we cannot feed the increasing population of the country. A stronger partnership among agri stakeholders is thus imperative for us to motivate the LGUs and farmers to adopt developed technologies, that will eventually boost production and income. We hope that more, mainly farmers and LGUs, will replicate the showcased technology,” RTD Bajarla emphasized.

Among those admitted to the smart greenhouse were representatives from the local governments, the private sector, investors, and some officials and staff from national government agencies in Region 10 – DA, Department of Trade and Industry, National Economic Development Authority, and Department of Tourism, including the agri department’s counterparts from Western Visayas, and the Special Projects Coordination and Management Assistance Division.

Tentatively, a ceremonial harvest is set for next month to further continue promoting the smart greenhouse technology. #