A global initiative to reduce persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) is underway. It was formally kicked off through an onboarding conducted by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).
The Socio-Economics Research Division (SERD) of DOST-PCAARRD formally onboarded the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management (FARM) Project on September 1, 2025, at the CB Perez Room, PCAARRD.
SERD Director and FARM Project Leader for the Philippines Ernesto O. Brown led the activity, highlighting the project’s relevance to crop protection efforts in the country and its contribution to sustainable agriculture across ASEAN.
FARM Program is a global initiative funded under the Global Environment Facility (GEF) designed to reduce persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs). The program covers seven countries, namely, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Ecuador, Uruguay, and Kenya. The UNIDO implements the India and Philippines regional project, “Promoting Eco-Friendly Crop Protection Solutions for POPs and HHPs Reduction in Asia.” DOST-PCAARRD is the lead partner-agency of UNIDO in the Philippines with the Philippine Agriculture and Resources Research Foundation Inc. (PARRFI) as the executing agency. The executing agency for India is HIL India Ltd.
The general objective of the Philippine-India project is to establish sustainable financing, investment, and incentive mechanisms for the formulation, production, and application of eco-friendly crop protection solutions for the reduction of POPs and HHPs, enhancing livelihood, food safety, and protection to human health and the environment. The Project will run for three years until June 2028 and will revolve around four components: 1) Government Regulatory Capacity; 2) Finance and Investment; 3) Capacity and Knowledge Dissemination; and 4) Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E).
At the onboarding, SERD staff and FARM PMU reviewed the project’s regional and national goals, expected outputs, and yearly milestones, while appreciating the scope of engagement over the three-year span of FARM Philippines. The project design identified 14 project sites throughout the country, along with co-financing partners, implementing partners, and beneficiaries. A critical first step for the PMU is to validate the initial partnership and co-financing commitments made earlier, especially as FARM Philippines is behind in the implementation of its Indian counterpart, which started in March 2024. Further, the PMU will start touching base with implementing partners such as the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS) and the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA). Also planned is a policy forum and project launch with partners before the year ends.
Supporting Dr. Brown were the director of the Institution Development Division, Dr. Fezoil Luz Decena, and SERD staff members, Ms. Meliza Abeleda and Mr. Emil Lapitan. The FARM Philippines PMU consisted of Dr. Albert Aquino (Chief), Dr. Lily Ann Lando (Deputy Chief), Mr. Ryan Lawrence Polinag (Research Associate), and Mr. Marc Jason Delomen (Project Associate). From the PMU’s end, Dr. Aquino appreciated the objectives and scope of the Project, while thanking PCAARRD, through Dr. Brown, for the opportunity to serve. The PMU temporarily holds office at PARRFI, but eventually will move to the DOST-PCAARRD Innovation and Technology Center (DPITC).