One of the participants, Jayson Nidua of ATI-RTC III, shares his view on some environmental issues on biotechnology during the training program. (photo by Patty Rodriguez)
DILIMAN, Quezon City—To help communicate alternative and scientific means in improving farm productivity, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) partnered with the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines for a training program on biotechnology.
Some technical staff of the Department of Agriculture (DA)–Biotechnology Team, Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), and ATI Central Office and training centers participated in the said program. Through this activity, they understood the basic principles of biotechnology that can help them address the negative perceptions on the said scientific technique.
Similarly, the training program aimed to capacitate agriculture and fisheries workers in terms of disseminating information on the role of biotechnology as a response to climate change and industrialization.
Issues, concerns, and regulations on modern biotechnology; its benefits and opportunities in the agriculture sector; and the future of the industry were discussed during the activity. The participants also crafted region-wide actions plans to further advocate the safe and responsible biotechnology adoption, which are expected to be implemented on 2020.
DA Biotechnology Advisory Team chairperson Saturnina Halos served as one of the resource persons during the training program. Other speakers include Jessica Rey, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Biology in the University of the Philippines-Diliman and Merle Palacpac, former chief of BPI’s National Quarantine Services Division.
A benchmarking activity at the International Rice Research Institute in Los Baños was also conducted as part of the program.
Dubbed as “Strengthening the Capability of the Agricultural Extension System for Agri Biotechnology,” the activity was held last October 23-25 at the Rural Development and Education Center in this city.