6th PhilRAA General Assembly (GA) and Convention:
“Technology transmission to community transformation”
September 29-30, 2016
DOST-PCAARRD Innovation and Technology Center (DPITC), Los Baños, Laguna
RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND
The Philippines and South Korea have long been strong partners in research and development (R&D). Agricultural R&D administrators from both countries have become committed to be partners in R&D to boost their agricultural economies. Since 1995, the Philippines, through the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), and South Korea, through the Rural Development Administration (RDA), have been implementing and pursuing scientific exchanges for the mutual benefit of both countries.
To strengthen the partnership and the collaboration, on September 4, 2003, the Philippine-RDA Alumni Association (PhilRAA) was organized during a seminar-conference held in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. The PCAARRD-based organization aims to establish and sustain linkage between and among fellows and trainees from Philippine organizations, institutions, councils, state universities and other entities. Specifically, PhilRAA aims to:
• forge liaison between and among members through various activities such as conferences, seminars, dialogues, civic and non-civic activities;
• provide a venue for information and technology exchange and sharing related to R&D in agriculture and natural resources; and
• promote camaraderie, brotherhood, and solidarity among its members.
To date, the association is composed of 220 fellows and trainees from PCAARRD’s National Agriculture, Aquatic and Resources Research and Development Network (NAARRDN) and other government and private organizations who have gone to RDA for capability building and global technology and information search (GTIS) activities. RDA, through PhilRAA, provides catalytic funds for technology transfer projects implemented by the NAARRDN. These are monitored by PCAARRD’s Technology Transfer and Promotion Division (TTPD). A PhilRAA General Assembly, in which the election for a new set of officers is held, is organized by PCAARRD every two years.
Tapping the various resources and capabilities of both partners, PhilRAA expanded its objectives to support projects in the Philippines which will advance and strengthen the R&D collaboration inherent to PhilRAA. To date, PhilRAA has three completed projects - “Model farm on Japonica rice production”, “Technology demonstration farm of Korean natural dyes, technology and crafts”, and “Enhanced production of spray-type Chrysanthemum through integrated crop management”. The projects, “Ensuring the year round supply of quality tomato through S&T interventions”, “Going organic based in onion production: testing and promotion via S&T based demo farms in two selected onion growing municipalities in Nueva Ecija”, and “S&T Community-based slaughter goat production through application of artificial insemination (AI)” are ongoing until 2016, 2017, and 2018, respectively.
The 5th PhilRAA Convention was held on April 22-23, 2014 with the theme, “Revolutionizing Small and Medium-Scale Agribusiness Enterprises (SMAEs) through S&T Innovations”. The convention welcomed 54 members from PCAARRD and from the NAARRDN, composed of state universities and colleges (SUCs) and research and development institutes (RDIs). Fifteen visiting officials and delegates from RDA, South Korea attended the opening ceremony and program during the first day of the convention at the Elvira O. Tan (EO Tan) Hallof PCAARRD.
6th PhilRAA GA and CONVENTION
The 6thPhilRAA GA and Convention is being organized to sustain the linkages established among members. The proposed theme is “Technology transmission to community transformation”. The theme aims to highlight the outcomes or impacts of technology transfer initiatives to community transformation, focusing on the success factors in implementing these initiatives for community, rural, or countryside development.
With PCAARRD’s experience in developing and testing technology transfer modalities, a resource speaker will be invited to provide a background about the concept of technology transfer and its role in R&D and S&T development. The program will also include invited resource speakers who can share RDA’s/Korea’s technology transfer/community development programs (i.e. Saemaul Undong or New Community Movement), accomplishments of ongoing PhilRAA-funded projects, and other success stories of S&T community-based farms from PCAARRD’s network (i.e. Sagada Arabica Coffee Growers and Processors Organization (SACGPO) in Sagada, Mountain Province which revived the development of the coffee industry in Sagada; Katilingban sang Pumuluyo nga Naga Atipan sa Watershed sang Maasin (KAPAWA) in Maasin, Iloilo focusing on rehabilitation of bamboo production and livelihood; Magdalena Dairy Raisers Association (MADRA) in Magdalena, Laguna focusing on livelihood; and Organic Vegetable Production of the Los Baños community implemented with the local government unit (LGU) of Los Baños under its Gender and Development (GAD) Program). A field visit to an S&T Community-Based Farm (STCBF) project will also be organized to enable participants to observe the success of the PCAARRD-funded STCBF.
The convention will be held on September 29-30, 2016 at the PCAARRD Innovation and Technology Center (DPITC) in Los Baños, Laguna. There will be a member’s registration fee of P500 to cover the convention kit and other materials.
Objectives
The convention will have the following objectives:
1. To highlight elements of successful technology transfer and innovation initiatives
2. To update members on the progress of RDA-PhilRAA-funded projects
3. To renew the members’ commitment to PhilRAA’s ideals
4. To further improve the alumni’s professional growth through interaction among members
5. To elect the officers for 2016-2018
6. To identify future initiatives for 2016-2018
Expected Outputs
1. Accomplishments of RDA/PhilRAA-funded projects
2. Renewed commitment of members
3. New and sustained linkages and networks among members
4. New set of officers for 2016-2018
5. Future initiatives for 2016-2018
6. Convention proceedings
PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES
