MikeLigalig.com

by pna

A book -- Feeding the Forgotten Poor: Perspectioves of an Agriculturist -- will highlight the opening of a symposium here sponsored by the Bureau of Agricultural Research and India's International Crops Research Institute, officials said.

Gracing the symposium are Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and BAR Director Nicomedes Eleazar for the Philippines and ICRISAT Director General William D. Dar and scientists for India.

The 144-page book -- written by Dar and prof. Arun Tiwari -- details two of the most pressing challenges besetting developing countries: hunger and poverty.

The book is an autobiography, raising the question of how the world is going to feed the poor, given its growing population.

The book is a recount of Dr. Dar’s rise from an unknown educator to a national leader and to a regional and international innovative manager in agricultural research development.

Feeding the Forgotten Poor consists of four chapters, namely: 1) Soil and Roots, 2) Stems, Leaves and Fruits, 3) Skin of the Earth, and 4) Growth and Prosperity.

Prior to its Philippine premiere, the book was launched in New Delhi, India in February 2012 during the inaugural session of the 2nd Global Agri-Business Incubation Conference wherein former India President APJ Kalam graced the activity as keynote guest.

After the book launch, a symposium will be held in the afternoon featuring presentations on various research and development and extension collaborative programs between ICRISAT and BAR.

The symposium aims to highlight the partnership between two countries and two R&D institutions that was strengthened through time and through a common goal which is to better the lives of the marginalized farmers.

One of the BAR-ICRISAT initiatives that will be highlighted during the symposium is the Philippine Rainfed Agriculture Research, Development and Extension Program (PhiRARDEP) which was launched in 2011. The program is in collaboration with the DA-High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) and RDE partners from the state universities and colleges (SUCs) and DA-Regional Field Units (RFUs).

Updates will be reported on the various projects under the PhiRARDEP.

“In general, the Philippines has been benefitting from this strong partnership with ICRISAT which dates back since 1975. It was through this partnership, built and flourished through time, that the introduction of ICRISAT-bred materials, including peanut, sweet sorghum, pigeonpea, and chickpea has been potentially realized,” said Dr. Nicomedes Eleazar, BAR director.

According to ICRISAT, 3,302 samples of 2,786 germplasm accessions have been distributed to the Philippines.

ICRISAT supplied 58 sets of trials, 901 advanced breeding lines, 36 mapping population parents, and 72 segregating populations to various institutions in the Philippines from 2000 to 2010.

“These efforts have led to the development and release of improved, high-yielding varieties.

ICRISAT-supplied peanut germplasm line ICG 7827, which was released as UPL Pn 10 in 1992; Namnama-1 (ICGV 90320), was released in 2003 by Ilagan Experiment Station, Isabela; NSIC Pn 12, locally known as Ilocos Pink – was released in 2004 by the MMSU research farm at Dingras, Ilocos Norte.

ICGV 00440 was released in 2007 as Namanama 2/NSIC Pn 14; and ICGV 86564 (Asha) in 2009 as NSIC Pn 15.

Two sorghum varieties were also released in the early 1990s in the Philippines, and a total of 936 sweet sorghum seed samples were also sent to the country.

Intensive testing and seed multiplication have also been done with pigeonpea,” reported Dr. Dar, ICRISAT director general.

More than 250 partcipants, including researchers and representatives from SUCs, RFUs, DA attached agencies and staff bureaus, are expected to attend in the book launch and symposium.

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