The resilient pili nut tree, considered as the “tree of hope” due to its ability to withstand numerous typhoons, is one of the agricultural products supported by the Department of Science and Technology’s Science for Change Program (DOST-S4CP).
Research and development (R&D) gave way to local innovations for its processing like the development of pili sorter, depulper, cracker and oil extractor, the DOST-S4CP said in a news release.
In an effort to sustain the developments in the pili nut industry as well as in other agricultural and industrial products in the Bicol Region, the DOST-S4CP Program Management Office led an “R&D Ideation and S4CP Proposal Writeshop” in Legazpi, Albay, on July 7 and 8.
The event was made in collaboration with DOST Region V, and in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and the National Economic and Development Authority.
Five Bicol-based universities and five local companies developed a total of 22 R&D concept proposals during the activity.
It is expected that through the event, the state universities and colleges in the area will be able to generate industry-based R&D proposals and pave the way for an increased distribution of R&D budget in the region.
Targeted in the writeshop were the Bicol University College of Agriculture and Forestry, Partido State University, Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, and Camarines Norte State College, which currently implement and host the Pili and Queen Pineapple R&D Centers.
The goal was to enrich their programs through additional R&D projects focused on geomapping, detection of diseases, genetic conservation, gender analysis, and product development and commercialization among others.
The Pili and Queen Pineapple R&D Centers are included in the 43 centers funded under the S4CP-Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D Program (Nicer). Niche centers are established to capacitate universities in the regions for regional development.
For the Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (Cradle) Program, five local companies worked with the universities to work and think of possible solutions to their needs for e-commerce, oil extraction, product characterization, automatic classification of fruit varieties, and biogas purification, among others.
The Cradle Program aims to empower Filipino-owned companies to take part in research and development through partnership with experts in the academe to innovate their products and processes.
To date, there are 86 collaborative projects funded under the Program with a total of P396.6-million grants, the DOST-S4CP said in a news release.
Image credits: DOST-S4CP