Agriculture Secretary William Dar encourages government partnership with agricultural universities to boost the country’s agricultural growth. (Pampanga Provincial Information Office)
MAGALANG, Pampanga — The Department of Agriculture (DA) partnered with the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) in boosting agricultural growth.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said they have implemented different projects inside the university to achieve its goal of a two percent growth in agriculture for the first quarter of 2020.
“Among the initiatives, we have implemented so far is the launching of the PSAU Radio Station DWEE 107.1 FM, which will serve as mouthpiece for development of farmers and fisher folks not only in Pampanga, but the entire Central Luzon,” Dar said.
This radio station will serve as the primary medium by which the government and other institutions, can continuously give information to increase the productivity of farmers and fisher folks in their localities.
In terms of facilities, DA said they have built an Animal Disease Diagnostics and Research Facility inside the campus to elevate knowledge about animal diseases and to serve as common center in employing preventive measures for disease occurrences.
It contains DNA and RNA laboratories, necropsy room, and autoclave room among others.
“Meanwhile, the Bureau of Agricultural Research funded the Satellite Livestock Breeding Center designed to help animal farmers through the provision of improved animal science research laboratory facility and breeding stocks,” the secretary said.
Bureau of Animal Industry, for its part, funded a collaborative program with PSAU for the benefit of adopt-barangay extension modalities in Pampanga.
At the regional level, DA Central Luzon tied up with the university for projects on rice and farm machinery, amounting to PhP10-million annually.
In closing, he urged other agencies and bureaus to explore possible partnerships with PSAU and other agricultural universities to further boost the sector.
“These initiatives are the types of partnership we want to nurture and cultivate with universities because the department cannot do everything alone,” he ended.
Last year, agriculture growth was pegged at 0.7% during the first quarter, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
