As part of its commitment to providing stakeholders with technical assistance in research and development (R&D), the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), along with Western Mindanao Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESMAARRDEC), organized a week-long Mentoring-Training on R&D Management for young researchers and Graduate Research and Education Assistantship for Technology (GREAT) program scholars in Zamboanga City on November 20–24, 2023.
The training highlighted the importance of mentoring and sought to establish a mechanism to enhance the PCAARRD R&D management system. This initiative focused on nurturing the technical competencies of National Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Network (NAARRDN) partners and also aimed to promote efficient and effective communication, project implementation, and reporting.
Twenty-four budding researchers and faculty members from different institutions attended the training. This group includes representatives from various state colleges and universities (SUCs) in Mindanao, DOST-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI), Philippine Coconut Authority-Zamboanga Research Center (PCA-ZRC), Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rubber Research Institute (DA-PRRI), and completers of the GREAT program.
The activity was led by the Council of the Elders (COELs) and hosted by DOST-PCAARRD's Socio-Economics Research Division (SERD). COELs was represented by former DOST-PCAARRD executives Dr. Danilo C. Cardenas, Dr. Edwin C. Villar, and Dr. Lily Ann D. Lando.
During the opening program, Dr. Dulce-Amor P. Matondo, the Director and R&D Cluster Coordinator of WESMAARRDEC, warmly welcomed the participants while Dr. Ernesto O. Brown, SERD Director, emphasized the importance of effective R&D management practices through a video message.
The week-long training covered various R&D topics, including proposal development and packaging; appraisal and funding approval processes; monitoring and evaluation, and effective communication skills (verbal and non-verbal). Application of the lectures were done through group activities and exercises to further enhance the learning experience.
The training participants conducted site visits to projects with successful R&D management practices, including the Native Zampen Chicken project in San Ramon, Zamboanga City and the Bureau of Corrections’ free range native Zampen chickens.
The mentoring program offered a unique, unconventional learning experience facilitated by seasoned resource speakers. The mentoring highlighted the significance of technical knowledge sharing and providing realistic and transparent perspectives from mentors. According to the participants, learning the essence of "kuwento" and "kwenta" from the mentors assisted them in crafting high-quality proposals and increasing the likelihood of approval from any funding agency. The program instilled the value of intergenerational mentoring.
In his closing message, Dr. Melvin B. Carlos, DOST-PCAARRD's Deputy Executive Director for Administration, Resource Management, and Support Services (OED-ARMSS) said that he hopes to achieve excellence in R&D management.
The week-long mentoring-training in Zamboanga City was a collaborative journey toward mastering R&D management. Through the years, DOST-PCAARRD has remained committed to partnering with stakeholders to share knowledge, collaborate, and promote continuous learning.