Program launched to commercialize aggie technology

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna -- A program to promote and commercialize agricultural technologies to boost national development is in place.

Called "Techno Gabay Unlad Buhay Para sa Masa," the program is being implemented by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), a Los Baños-based sectoral planning body of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

"The Techno Gabay Program addresses the government's thrust for the poor, vulnerable and underprivileged as well as the progressive farming sector," stated PCARRD Executive Director Patricio S. Faylon.

Dr. Faylon discussed the program and other concerns of PCARRD at the 19th DMMMSU University Foundation anniversary celebration in San Fernando City (La Union) recently.

DMMMSU stands for Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University. It is a six-campus tertiary institution in La Union whose seat of administration is the main campus at Sapilang, Bacnotan town.

Specifically, said Dr. Faylon, Techno Gabay will develop, promote, and initiate modalities that will enhance the technology promotion and commercialization activities of local government units (LGUs), non government organizations (NGOs), and the private sector.

"This will be done by providing technical assistance to S&T intermediaries to improve their system of packaging and promoting technologies, as well as directly to end-users of S&T data," he explained.

Through this program, he added, the flow of information from the S&T sector to the end-users will be facilitated.

Under the program are the following major modalities:

* Farmers' Information and Technology Services (FITS) or Techno Pinoy centers.

* Farmer-Scientist Bureau (FSB) or "Magsasaka-Siyentista" and

* Information, Education, Communication (IEC) projects.

DOST Secretary Felimon Uriarte Jr. had earlier described the "Techno Pinoy" as responsive to DOST's guiding principles in harnessing S&T as strategy for modernizing agriculture and natural resources. These principles are competitiveness, competence, and conscience.

"Techno Gabay champions our competitiveness as it addresses not only domestic productivity but world class technologies and strategic products for the world market. It pushes for competence as it promotes technologies tested through a carefully designed process," Dr. Uriarte stressed.