Diplomacy for agricultural development
The emergence of the Philippine Department of Agriculture as a leading key player in Spanish-Philippine cooperation in Philippine agricultural development was placed at center stage during the recent state visit to Spain of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when Agriculture Secretary Yap assisted the President in concluding and signing several memorandum of agreements (MOAs) with Spanish counterparts led by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Elena Espinosa.
These agreements provided a precedent-setting new window for accessing Spanish grants, particularly in agriculture and fisheries, and it is gratifying to know that an initial grant of P57.2 million to study and determine the feasibility for bio-fuels, and another P25 million for blue tuna development project studies were obtained.
Under this MOA, the DA obtained tacit support of P23.2 million from the Spanish government to undertake studies in swine generic improvement for building a stronger breeder base program; a P43.18 million meat laboratories upgrading studies for the purpose of enhancing the capability of Philippine livestock companies to export and compete in Europe and P60.29 million study for the rehabilitation of the abaca industry in terms of building greenhouses, tissue culture and nurseries.
This is the first time the Spanish and Philippine agriculture departments entered into an agreement, as previously, such agreements were negotiated by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Trade and Industry.
Another important MOA signed was with BIOMAR, a subsidiary of publicly-listed CHE Automotive, that stipulated interest in the development of agri-business land for jatropha feedstock production, as well as in the establishment of extraction and distillery plants.
Over the next three years, BIOMAR will invest $200 million for jatropha production, to commence the first quarter of this year at nursery sites in
An agreement between the DA and the Agencia Espanola Cooperacion International covers sustainable management of coastal resources and planning, training and on-site coaching of viable livelihood projects in Bicol and Caraga. The amount of investment granted in Euro dollars is 1.333 million (P70 million).
The other component of the MOA is an investment of P63 million for the strengthening of the agro-industrial sector in Bicol and Caraga. The project will provide machineries for processing abaca, coconut, pineapple and cassava, and training plant workers on good manufacturing practices (GMP) and hazard analysis critical control point (HACCCP) to produce quality products for export markets.
Another MOA involves a commitment from the department of agriculture to finance research projects in biotechnology, food technologies-sustainable management of marine environment, aquaculture, etc. in the amount of P103 million.
This MOA with the Basque region of
Other significant MOAs: Fundacion Codespa, a Spanish development NGO chaired by Crown Prince Felipe, is aimed at setting up microfinance projects for fisherfolks and farmers; Abengoa Bioenergy, a Spanish biotechnology company based in Madrid, agrees to provide investment in cultivating cassava as biofuel feedstock, and on a study of the possibility of establishing bioethanol plants in the country.
When all is said and done, let us look to the New Year as a year of hope for progress, prosperity and improvement of the quality of life of our people in the countryside.
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Remember Rafael M. Salas? He was the executive secretary of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos and the first executive director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) with the rank of undersecretary-general.
From a small trust fund he built the UNFPA into the world’s biggest multilateral source for funding population-related activities in 186 countries.
Known as “Mr. Population,” Salas articulated sound policies on population growth as it related to human resources and economic development before the United Nations and its specialized agencies as well as to the international community worldwide.
In recognition of his work on population, he received 30 honorary degrees and other awards from 25 countries around the world.
As a way of remembering this great man who was popularly called Paeng, Population Forum is sponsoring the first Rafael M. Salas Golf Cup on January 17 at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club, General Trias,
The golf tournament is a fund-raising project of the Quezon City-based Forum for Family Planning and Development to sustain its advocacy for sound development and population activities.
The Forum, under president Benjamin de Leon, was organized in 2005 as a non-stock, non-profit, non-government organization composed of well-known experts in population, reproductive health and family planning.
Among its foremost advocates are the Forum’s eminent persons such as former President Fidel V. Ramos, former Prime Minister Cesar E.A. Virata, SGV founder Washington Z. Sycip, and internationally known demographer Mercedes B. Concepcion.
Individual admirers and corporate donors are funding the golf tournament with PAGCOR as its main sponsor.
For more details of the tournament, contact The Forum for Family Planning and Development, Inc., at e-mail [email protected] or tel. no. (63) 2-4265484
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