PCCARD Allies In Livestock R&D Post Winning Streak In 2008
In a triumphal end to a challenging year, PCARRD’s partners in livestock R&D made the news for their outstanding performance in knowledge generation, technology transfer and research management and governance.
Leading the pack is this year’s recipient of the PCARRD Tanglaw Award – the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) based in Munoz, Nueva Ecija. The Tanglaw Award recognizes an institution for generating new knowledge, promoting science, grounding initiatives in partnership with local and foreign agencies, disseminating technology and creating livelihood. The PCC received the award during PCARRD’s 36th Anniversary Celebration on November 7 at the Hotel Intercontinental Manila in Makati city.
The Center is credited with the carabaos increased body size and mill, production and the dissemination of good breeder animals. As a research agency under the Department of Agriculture, it led high-end livestock research focusing on reproductive biotechnology to increase the genetic quality of breeding animals.
These efforts crystallized in the National Carabao Development Program which the Center has successfully implemented. The program has pushed the genetic improvement of carabaos and the establishment of carabao-based enterprises, thus ensuring higher income and better nutrition for rural farming communities.
PCARRD was “Big Brother” to the winning center in its infancy. Today, the PCC is a world class R&D center for water buffalos. The Center is headed by Dr. Libertado C. Cruz, a former recipient of PCARRD’s Pantas Award for Most Outstanding Scientist.
The winning streak of the Council’s livestock partners began at the 3rd Annual Convention of the PCARRD Scholars Association Incorporated (PSAI) in Baguio City last October. At this convention, Dr. Emilio M. Cruz, a former YCARRD scholar himself was bestowed the PCARRD Technology Dissemination and Utilization Award, closing a productive year which began with an award for outstanding research work from the Bureau of Agricultural Research.
This technology promoter, change agent and advocate of goat and feed resources, is currently the manager of the Small Ruminant Center of the Central Luzon State University (CLSU). Dr. Cruz teaches animal science and veterinary medicine, handling an academic load as well as advising thesis students. He is also credited with the successful implementation of income generating projects for CLSU.
More of PCARRD’s partners were honored at the 45th Annual Convention and Seminar of the Philippine Society of Animal Science (PSAS) held at the PCC on October 2224. Proving their consistent commitment and the Council’s confidence in their capability, Drs. Javier P. Mateo, Edgar Orden and Jovita M. Datuin were conferred PSAS awards for their outstanding accomplishments in their respective lines of specialization.
This year’s PSAS-PHILCHEMA Outstanding Animal Nutritionist is Dr. Javier P. Mateo.
Dr. Edgar Orden is an expert on ruminant nutrition specifically working on goats and forages. The full time professor at the Department of Animal Science at the Central Luzon State University, was conferred the PSAS-Bounty Agroventures Distinguished Researcher in Animal Science.
Currently, Dr. Orden is the leader for the PCARRD-supported “Regional Program for Sustainable Goat Enterprises in Central Luzon”.
Representing the distaff side of animal scientists and rounding out the PSAS awardees for the year is a former PCARRD scholar and the current manager of the Ilocos integrated Agricultural Research Center (ILIARC, Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit 2), based in La Union. Dr. Jovita M. Datuin was accorded the PSAS-Bayer (Phils) Outstanding Professional in Animal Science Community Service.
In a validation of her leadership and her team’s proactive community service, their paper placed third in the development category at the PCARRD National Symposium for Agriculture and Resources Research and Development (NSARRD). Their paper outlined the team’s accomplishments in the Goat Agribusiness Development Project that was implemented through a community-based participatory action research.
Dr. Datuin specializes in poultry nutrition but her involvement in the PCARRD-initiated development project like the Crop Animal Systems Research Network (CASREN) shifted her interest to goat and feed resources.
It is often said, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link”. Judging from the strength of PCARRD’s partners in livestock R&D, its chain, i.e., the R&D network is going strong. In a veritable win-win situation, the Council is reaping a bountiful harvest from its investment in human resources while the Filipino farmers benefit from these researchers’ distinct successes. (Edwin T. Villar)