ACIAR inspects soil research project of MMSU
By Jedd Bryant Boado
The project team from the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) visited MMSU on March 19 to monitor and assess the progress of a soil research project they funded at the university.
Titled “Project SLaM 2023/146: Developing soil knowledge, information, and capacity to improve the productivity and sustainability of key cropping systems in the Philippines,” the collaboration was initiated by ACIAR and the DOST Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resource Research and Development (PCAARRD). The research aims to strengthen soil knowledge systems and improve the technical capacity of farmers to boost productivity and resilience in Philippine cropping systems.
Among the visiting ACIAR team were Prof. Chengrong Chen and Prof. Evan Thomas of Griffith University. Meanwhile, the Philippine team was led by Country Coordinator Dr. Adeflor Garcia and Program Leader Dr. Fernando Marzo. Also in attendance were Project Leader Dr. Janet Villamor, Project Component Leaders Dr. Dinah Marie Dayag and Dr. Gerry Contillo, Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte Senior Agriculturist Arnold Pascua, and MMSU-CAFSD Dean Charles Batin.
The ACIAR and Philippine Project Teams were warmly received by MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr. As an agricultural engineer, Dr. Manzano fully supports the project and offered that MMSU is willing to be the hub for the Project SLaM 2023/146 in Luzon to ensure that its objectives are achieved.
“We are planning to integrate our Information Technology Center into our soil laboratory so that all information gathered for Project SLaM in Luzon can be easily uploaded and accessed not only by researchers but more importantly, our farmers,” Dr. Manzano said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Chen said that ACIAR will support the Philippine Project team to efficiently and effectively gather data for the SLaM 2023/146 Project.
“We are looking at the possibility of providing needed soil laboratory instruments for our researchers and farmers for Project SLaM 2023/146, for them to analyze their samples accurately and quickly,” Dr. Chen said.
Aside from their inspection and courtesy visit to Dr. Manzano, ACIAR and the Philippine Project team also visited the Office of Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta Marcos and conducted a workshop where they presented updates of Project SLaM 2023/146.
Mar, 24, 2026 03:09:pm
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