The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) is one of the sectoral councils under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). It was formed through the consolidation of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) and the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD) on June 22, 2011 pursuant to Executive Order No. 366.
Originally established in November 1972 as the Philippine Council for Agricultural Research (PCAR), it became the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resources Research (PCARR) to include mines research in 1975. Affirming the role of S&T in development, PCARR changed its name to Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) in 1982. The Council was tasked to provide a unified and focused direction for the country’s agricultural research. It then became an apex organization that supports and manages the national network of government and higher education institutions involved in crops, livestock, forestry, fisheries, soil and water, mineral resources, and socio-economic research and development (R&D). In 1987, the Council was renamed the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development but retained the acronym PCARRD. On January 30 of the same year, the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD) was created from the Fisheries Research Division of PCARRD with functions focused on aquatic and marine sectors.
With expanded coverage, functions, and responsibilities, the Council formulates policies, plans, and programs for science and technology-based R&D in the different sectors under its concern. It coordinates, evaluates, and monitors the national R&D efforts in the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector. It also allocates government and external funds for R&D and generates resources to support its program.
As the apex Council of the AANR sector, PCAARRD engages in active partnerships with international, regional, and national organizations and funding institutions for joint R&D, human resource development and training, technical assistance, and exchange of scientists, information, and technologies. The Council is implementing its program primarily through its Research and Development and Extension Consortia which are located all over the country.
It also supports the National Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Network (NAARRDN) composed of national multi- and single-commodity and regional R&D centers, cooperating stations, and specialized agencies.
Being an ISO 9001:2015-certified agency for its quality management system, PCAARRD is committed to achieving a sustained dynamic leadership in science and technology (S&T) innovation in the AANR sector by providing a strategic leadership in promoting S&T as a platform for AANR products innovation and environment resiliency. Guided by its core values of relevance, excellence, and cooperation, PCAARRD will remain steadfast in catalyzing the Philippine AANR sector toward self-sufficiency and global competitiveness.
The basic figure in PCAARRD’s logo is from its mother agency, the Department of Science and Technology, which consists of four circles joined together side by side to form a square. The circles symbolize unit particles, the building blocks of nature which are the subject and substance of science and technology. The circle design indicates movement signifying progress through Science and Technology (S&T).