SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ (PIA) — The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) pledged to provide support to African nations in advancing their agricultural mechanization during engagements in Tanzania, East Africa.
“We at PHilMech from the Philippines are committed to supporting Tanzania and other African countries by sharing technical expertise and best practices to enhance your mechanization efforts, in collaboration with FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization] and other partners,” PHilMech Director Dionisio Alvindia stated.
During an FAO initiative aligned with its mission to eradicate hunger and achieve global food security, PHilMech was tapped to share best practices in agricultural mechanization development.
Led by Alvindia, the delegation presented interventions and systems—including mechanization programs such as the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)—to stakeholders from the Tanzania Ministry of Agriculture, Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute, World Bank Tanzania, African Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency–Tanzania Office, and European Union Office in Tanzania.
According to PHilMech, the RCEF helped boost the Philippines’ mechanization level from 2.31 to 2.81 horsepower per hectare, cut labor costs by ₱2 per kilogram, and saved enough additional rice supply from losses to feed 95,000 families annually.
The PHilMech delegation also participated in the Africa Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Tanzania, while a Tanzanian delegation is expected to visit PHilMech headquarters in March. (CLJD/MAECR, PIA Region 3-Nueva Ecija)
