To support the research culture in the CALABARZON region, the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) solicited, reviewed, approved, and funded three research initiatives from three public institutions that will further boost the development of prime commodities in the region.

Support for research and development were coursed through the 1.2 subcomponent under the National and Local Planning (I-PLAN) Component. This supports the implementation of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Plan (AFMP). The identified research proposals aim to make the decision-making, planning, programming, and budgeting more rational while also addressing the identified gaps in the Value Chain Analysis (VCAs) and issues in the Commodity Investment Plans (CIPs).

The facilitation of proposals and monitoring of research implementation is under the I-PLAN component of PRDP CALABARZON while the funder is the PRDP South Luzon.

Seaweeds production in Lamon Bay of the Quezon province is the target for the assessment and geomapping research to be implemented by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – CALABARZON regional office. Approved last May 5, 2020, its target date of completion will be September 2021. This initiative will help the bureau generate baseline information of seaweeds areas as well as map-out existing production locales and the previous locations and possible expansion areas. The 1st tranche of research funds from PRDP had been downloaded to BFAR CALABARZON.

Current quality and processing practices for coffee is the focus of the evaluative study from the Cavite State University (CvSU). Approved last September 30, 2020 with target completion of August 2021, they will assess the practices employed by small-scale coffee producers and processors in the province on the Philippine National Standards (PNS) for coffee as formulated by the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS). Its 1st tranche of research funds has also been downloaded by PRDP to the university.

Benchmarking and documentation of successful cacao farmers will be the research study of the Southern Luzon State University (SLSU). Approved last October 5, 2020, the activity is scheduled to be finished by September 2021. The study will allow the researchers identify the factors contributing to the success of cacao growers in Quezon province as well as document the practices utilized by the top performing cacao growers. The 1st tranche of the research fund is targeted to be released this 1st quarter.

In line with the Department of Agriculture’s mantra of Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita, the project hopes that these researches will further boost the production and quality of seaweeds, coffee, and cacao in the region and will also increase the income of the farmers and processors that are part of the value chain. # (Lawrence Albert Bariring, DA-PRDP CALABARZON RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Ms. Maribeth Ramos, the project leader for assessment and geomapping research in Lamon Bay of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources CALABARZON, discusses the overview of seaweeds production in the Quezon province. She is also the Chief of Regional Fisheries Training and Fisherfolk Coordinating Division.

Various stakeholders participate in the first meeting conducted virtually for the seaweeds assessment and geomapping research in Lamon Bay of BFAR CALABARZON.