MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex (NMACLRC) is entrusted with the P100-million Korean-funded and -innovated Smart greenhouse project housed in its grounds on December 21, in Brgy. Dalwangan here

This after the Philippine government through DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado signed a gratuitous transfer agreement.

Witnessing the signing were Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations Cora A. Dumayaca, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), Korea Agency of Education, Promotion and Information Service in Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (EPIS), and the Hankyong National University (HNU) of South Korea, signifying for the former agency to fulfill the use and management of the handed over objects of said project.

Since its launch in April 2022, said project fully dubbed as the “Establishment of Smart Greenhouse and Capacity Building in the Philippines” has been serving as a research and training hub featuring Smart Greenhouse technology for innovative production of quality high-valued crops such as strawberries, cherry tomato, white potato and pepper, and later on, expanding to watermelon and lettuce.

“I am confident that the successful handover of this project will greatly contribute to the Philippine DA’s efforts in enhancing future agricultural technological capabilities through smart Agriculture,” Yong-Ho Jung, General Division Director of International Cooperation at
MAFRA remarked during the turnover program ceremony.

He also put a premium on the smart agriculture project, especially so that the country focuses on modernization and digital transformation within the agricultural sector.

Meanwhile, RED Collado extended his appreciation to the Korean partners for the provision of technical and financial support at the same time alluded to the gains of the collaborative project. It is composed of the establishment of a smart farm, the development of a local distribution system, dispatch of experts, and capacity building of technology adopters.

“The said innovative farming technique provides farmers with higher yield and better quality of farm produce while enabling consistent crop production year-round, thus addressing market requirements to attain food efficiency and sufficiency,” he said.

The agri chief exec added that the showcase and adoption of the latest technologies play a crucial role in feeding the next generation.

“Smart technology and precision farming upgrade our productivity levels benefiting farmers and food producers,” the DA-10 official stated.

Likewise, Dir. Collado continues to pin hopes on boosting the region and the Philippines’ food security, the said project has been gaining interest among the public, particularly on how farmers can replicate it in their localities.

“I am grateful for this opportunity to learn these incredible advancements in technology [smart greenhouse] that have easily transformed our farming in so many ways such as improving the quality, quantity, cost [of our harvest] and productivity,” Joel T. Rivera, Lantapan Vegetable
Farmers and Marketing Cooperative marketing head conveyed.

His account on farming, trading, and marketing was done before his fellow smart greenhouse technology trainees and/or adopters from the towns of Talakag, Sumilao, Lantapan, and Impasug-ong, and the city of Malaybalay, all from Bukidnon province.

As the transfer of said project is eyed for continuing farmers’ training and/or research on smart farming in the coming years, EPIS Vice-President An Jaerok underscored saying: “Looking ahead, we expect that the training for farmers and the cultivation of high-valued crops will play a pivotal role in boosting productivity, as well as in elevating the comprehension and skills of farmers in the area of smart farming.”

Also supporting the event were Wonhee Lee, HNU president and eight other senior officials from MAFRA, EPIS and HNU; Aleli Maghirang, agriculture attaché in South Korea and Japan; DA-Special Projects Coordination and Management Assistance team headed by its chief,
Angelita dela Cueva-Martir; Malaybalay City mayor Warren Jay R. Pabillaran; Acting Bukidnon Provincial Agriculturist Jacqueline Julia A. Lagamon, and other DA-10 and regional management (NFA, PhilFIDA, BPI-PQS, NIA, BAI-NVQS, NMIS and ATI) committee members and staff. (JLO)