With the reorganization of the Regional Technical Working Group (RTWG), now called Regional Research and Development Group (RRDG), a two-day orientation seminar for the 14 regional consortia was initiated recently by PCARRD’s Office of the Deputy Executive Director for Research and Development (ODEDRD) at the Apo View Hotel in Davao City.
The RRDG is one sectoral group under the Regional Research and Development Coordinating Committee (RRDCC). Both groups form part of the Council’s mechanism in managing research and development (R&D) at the regional level. The reorganization of the RTWG to RRDG is PCARRD’s latest enhancement to its management of its regional partners in R&D.
Specifically, the activity aimed to familiarize the RRDG coordinators on their mandates based on the agreed Terms of Reference (TOR); discuss in detail different activities needed to carry out the TOR; and familiarize them on the formats of R&D reports, proposals, budget, etc.
Dr. Lourdes C. Generalao, Southern Mindanao Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (SMARRDEC) director welcomed the participants. SMARRDEC was the activity’s host consortium.
On the other hand, the ODEDRD staff members served as resource persons on the following topics: Orientation on the existing consortia arrangements; TOR of the Regional R&D Group; Status of the 2006-2010 Integrated S&T (science and technology) Agenda for AFNR (agriculture, forestry and natural resources); Regional R&D program planning, priority Setting, budgeting, and program packaging; Review of project proposal, monitoring, and evaluation of ongoing projects; and Establishment and maintenance of R&D management databases.
An open forum followed after each presentation where issues and concerns of the consortia were aired and addressed.
Incidentally, the participants gave a highly-favorable rating (average = 4.78, with 5 being the highest) on the conduct of the orientation-seminar and claimed that their expectations of the activity were met. They rated it based on the organization of topics presented, coverage of the topics, time management, visual aids, examples given, handouts, resource persons, venue, and food and beverage served.
With the positive feedback from the participants, the Council anticipates better coordination, resulting to greater number of quality AFNR R&D and other outputs.