Today, November 10, 2022, marks the 50 years of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), one of the sectoral councils of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
From its establishment in 1972, the then Philippine Council for Agricultural Research (PCAR) spearheaded a unified and focused direction for national research in the agriculture (crops and livestock), forestry, and fishery.
Pursuant to Executive Order No. 366 on June 22, 2011, the then Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) and the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD) merged into the PCAARRD, which provides national research direction for the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector.
“The story of PCAARRD is a feat of victories and challenges that shaped the national AANR research system of the country,” said Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director. “It is a story of translating vision into action; the vision of establishing a national planning and coordinating agency that consolidated the research sector into a first-rate national research enterprise.”
Among its achievements are the breakthrough research outputs from basic and advanced research in the following sectors: crops, livestock, inland aquatic, marine resources, forestry and environment sector, and Agri 4.0 technologies. Moreover, the Council fronted initiatives on the transfer and commercialization of these outputs as well as socio-economics and policy formulation.
During the celebration being held today at the headquarters of DOST-PCAARRD, the Council confers four significant awards: Ulat SIPAG for professional print and broadcast media partners, Dr. Elvira O. Tan for best published R&D papers in AANR, Best Research and Development Papers, and Ugnay for outstanding R&D Consortia or the PCAARRD in the Regions.
Best R&D Papers are determined annually through the National Symposium on Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (NSAARRD). While the Ugnay Award is conferred every two years and recognizes the efforts of the regional consortia as partners of the Council in meeting the regional R&D and technology needs.
Aside from the major awards, 12 completers of the Graduate Research and Education Assistantship Program for Technology (GREAT) program are recognized. Co-implemented with DOST-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), GREAT is an innovative scholarship program, wherein qualified graduate students can be involved in the research of an approved PCAARRD or DOST project. Under the program, project leaders serve as thesis advisers or guidance committee members of the qualified student.
Pantas and Tanglaw Awards for outsanding researchers and administrators, respectively is relaunched, while a new award, SINAG or technology commercialization award, is launched.
Winners of the 1st Agri-Aqua Innovation Challenge are also being conferred today. The challenge is implemented by the Council in collaboration with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), wherein select professional and student startup finalists are capacitated by top industry experts to increase the value of their technologies, services, and business models.
Finally, DOST-PCAARRD launches the 50th Founding Anniversary Publications, which offer a glimpse of the people, initiatives, and improvements of the Council through the years.
The livestream of the 50th anniversary celebration can be viewed via DOST-PCAARRD’s Facebook page: https://facebook.com/pcaarrd.