MANILA — The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) will present in Metro Manila this week opportunities for the public to venture into “agripreneurship” or entrepreneurship in agriculture.
The BAR will hold the 14th Agriculture and Fisheries Technology Forum and Product Exhibition (NTF) at the SM Megatrade Hall 2 at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2.
The forum, which is free and open to the public, will include topics on financial viability of some agricultural-based enterprises, such as nipa palm sugar processing, cacao production, guyabano product development, and commercial production of native chicken.
It will also tackle things like value-adding and new and innovative technologies from BAR-funded studies.
“We aim to encourage more people to be agripreneurs,” noted Rita dela Cruz, head of BAR’s Applied Communication Division.
Aside from helping improve people’s income potential, dela Cruz said agripreneurship will boost Philippine agriculture and fisheries.
The forum’s theme this year is “Agripreneurship: mainstreaming agriculture and fisheries R&D by delivering technology breakthroughs to farmers and fisherfolk.”
Technological advancement is among the strategies that agriculture czar Emmanuel Piñol has identified as essential for boosting agriculture and fisheries nationwide.
He and Senate’s Agriculture and Food Committee Chairperson, Senator Cynthia Villar, are set to deliver messages at the forum’s opening ceremony on Thursday.
Among the technology-related topics for discussion at the forum are green corn silage production for dairy cattle, innovative products from corn, local production of texturized soy protein, and application of algal paste technology in aquaculture.
BAR noted the forum will also tackle microbial inoculant for pest and diseases.