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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DA inaugurates crop biotechnology center in Nueva Ecija

DA inaugurates crop biotechnology center in Nueva Ecija

Published Sep 30, 2021 04:47 pm

A crop biotechnology center that will help enhance Philippine agriculture was inaugurated Thursday, Sept. 30 in Nueva Ecija, the Department of Agriculture (DA) disclosed on Thursday, Sept. 30.

PH AGRI BOOST-- Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar and Agricultural Attaché Ryan Bedford unveiled the marker of the crop biotechnology center established inside the compound of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija on Sept. 30, 2021. (Photo courtesy of the DA)

Agriculture Secretary William Dar and Agricultural Attaché Ryan Bedford unveiled the marker of the Crop Biotechnology Center (CBC) established inside the compound of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

The crop biotechnology hub is one of the three biotechnology centers under the Agriculture department.

It aims to advance biotechnology research for development and innovation, and generate various products that will enhance the competitiveness of Philippine agriculture. It will also push for food security and climate change resiliency.

"This inauguration heralds a monumental responsibility. Today, we established our country's firm leadership in agricultural biotechnology in the ASEAN region. However, we still have a lot of work to do in allaying fears and winning over skeptics," Dar said.

The P200-million center funded under the US Public Law 480 Program, focuses on applying advanced technologies that contribute to the improvement in performance, yield, and quality of important commodities including rice, corn, coconut, and various high-value crops such as mango, garlic, onion, tomato, cotton, cacao, banana, and abaca, among others.

"The amount of investment we have poured into this state-of-the-art facility is our first line of defense against hunger. The challenge, on our part, is to ensure that innovations are accessible and affordable to all stakeholders within our food systems," Dar said.

"Biotechnology is therefore our response in the call for sustainable agricultural modernization," Dar added.

During the crop biotechnology center inauguration, the Agriculture agency also launched the Golden Rice.

The secretary said that they aim to complement current interventions to address malnutrition among children and pregnant women due to Vitamin A deficiency with the Golden Rice, which can now be commercially planted in the country.

"We are the first country to approve Golden Rice for commercialization. As such, the rest of the world will be looking back on our experience with it before they join the bandwagon," the secretary said.

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william dar Nueva Ecija 93021 CROP BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTER department of agriculture
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