Linkage to the academe has been established after the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) and two universities in the Visayas region namely: Central Philippine State University (CPSU) and the Central Philippine University (CPU) as part of the I-REAP (Enterprise) Component’s 3.2 or Technology and Information for Enterprise and Market Development component.

Under the I-REAP’s 3.2, partner agencies will serve as program collaborators and will primarily provide technical assistance in the establishment of enterprises under the terms and conditions stipulated in a program contract.

In the province of Negros Occidental, Muscovado is one of the priority commodities of PRDP for enterprise development, where potential segments of its value chain shall be provided with interventions and investments particularly on production, postharvest, processing and market linkages. Thus, the proposal on Adoptability of Small-Scale Community Based Technology of Natural Muscovado Sugar in Selected Communities in Negros Occidental and Oriental has been identified by the PRDP as one of the key projects in Region 6.

The program covers the transfer of funds amounting to Php3,000,000.00 to CPSU to finance its operational expenses for workshop and training programs.

In Iloilo, Native Chicken is one of the identified priority commodity thus, CPU proposed the project “Determining the Economic Feasibility of the Adoption of POTs For Commercial Production of Organic Philippine Native Chickens Among the PRDP – Assisted Cooperatives in Selected Provinces in Central and Western Visayas.” 

The DA-PRDP has approved the allotment for CPU amounting to P4,000,000 with equity for CPU (NON-Cash / In-Kind) in the amount of P1,200,000.00.

The said amount shall be utilized for CPU-related implementation and administrative support to carry out project engagement, staffing, and farm capacitation, and conduct series of hands-on training among the beneficiaries to be technical associates specializing in Philippine native chicken production, among others.

Meanwhile, DA-PRDP – PSO Visayas shall be responsible in monitoring and ensuring satisfactory outputs.

As agreed between the parties, the programs shall be implemented for CY 2018.

Present during the respective MOA signing for CPSU was University president Dr. Henry C. Bolinas; CPU President Teodoro C. Robles and DA-PRDP Project Director Remelyn R. Recoter.