Considered as one of the most essential sectors of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) has been relentless in innovating solutions for the benefit and interest of the agri-aqua industry in the country.
With the enactment of the Republic Act 10055 or the Philippine Technology Transfer Act, PCAARRD leaned into bringing highly productive agri-aqua based business enterprises through technology commercialization. This paved the way for the establishment of the DOST-PCAARRD’s Agri-Aqua Technology Business Incubation (ATBI) Program, an initiative to diffuse and use the mature AANR technologies by developing a viable agribusiness through technology incubation. Since its establishment, the program has supported 22 ATBIs, sets its mark by upbringing 92 innovations, registering 263 businesses supported, 1,603 jobs generated and delivering a total of P68.7 million revenues from incubatees’ startup companies.
ATBI also supported the “Galing – PCAARRD Kontra Covid-19”, a program of the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD). This was pursuant to Republic Act 11469, or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act”.
It was reported that during this initiative, Central Luzon State University (CLSU) ATBI had conducted their own relief operations wherein they have provided 50 bags of relief goods to families and frontliners who are severely affected by COVID-19. Moreover, they have also supported farmer-incubatees by providing them with mushroom fruiting bags to serve as assistance in starting their own business.
CLSU-ATBI is one of the institutions that have been running the extra mile in conducting these kinds of relief operations and activities to ease the situation in communities that need help in these trying times.
In line with this, other universities that are part of the ATBI network have also participated in this drive such as Benguet State University, Laguna State Polytechnic University, Sultan Kudarat State University, Capiz State University, and Central Mindanao University. All of them have organized relief operations to ease the situation in communities badly affected by the Covid-19 crisis.
Moreover, this drive also involved the distribution of organic vegetables produced by farmers of the Mt. Kitanglad Agri Tourism Farm (MKATF) in Malaybalay City Bukidnon. It was reported that vegetables worth P100,000 composed of various vegetables were donated to the Malaybalay City Office and were distributed to frontliners, waste management workers, and other vulnerable communities.
The ATBI Program has also been involved in many initiatives, such as the ones mentioned, since they aim to support the use of advanced technologies to help other notable institutions to develop their system in viable agribusiness. This program believes that in a country wherein the agricultural resources are rich, it is only ideal that agripreneurs who run their own agricultural business and aspiring agriculture students be supported and equipped with the essential technology, aside from knowledge and skills, for them to gain favorable returns should their plans be implemented.
Also with this program, people who are into agriculture can be provided with the right entrepreneurial assistance through technology management, business development, marketing, networking, administrative support, access to facilities, and equipment which are all vital to achieve desired results in terms of technology commercialization.
Furthermore, the whole idea of the program is to help institutions produce a great number of people who are passionate and competent with regard to agriculture. For this reason, it had already trained and mentored 302 incubatees and produced 30 graduates.
One of the pioneering ATBIs is the one in Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Nueva Ecija which is known as a world-class Research University for science and technology in agriculture and allied fields. In June 2009, PCAARRD decided to give the university an opportunity to amplify their potential to reach greater heights in agriculture. The objective has always been to expand the commercialization of small-sized to medium-sized agricultural businesses related to food and technology.
In September 2011, the CLSU-AFTBI was strengthened under the University Business Affairs Program (UBAG) with the goal of implementing a proactive effort to support agricultural business startups that have the capability to help other regions and the nation to prosper with regard to its economy and agriculture sector.
ATBI continues to establish more facilities for the benefit and interest of aspiring students and agripreneurs. Recently, DOST-PCAARRD forged a Memorandum of Agreement with the Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU), Cebu Technological University (CTU), Ifugao State University (IfSU), and Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) for the establishment of new agri-aqua incubators that all have what it takes to make an impact for the betterment of society on a national scale.
Our ATBIs are always ready to help you. If you want your business to grow and develop, come join us, and together, let’s all AGRI to make the world a better place!