Mariano Marcos
State University

JICA backs MMSU black garlic project with over ₱2M in equipment

By Jedd Bryant Boado

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in partnership with Takara Inc., donated black garlic production equipment worth more than ₱2 million to Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) on June 9 at the Food Innovation Center.

A tractor, a black garlic maturing machine, two refrigerators, four water pumps, four power sprayers, a sprinkler irrigation system, a weighing scale, two shelves, two carts, five work tables, a pedal sealer, and 50 plastic crates were handed over to the university following the signing of a Deed of Donation (DOD) with JICA.

MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., and JICA Senior Representative Soichiro Ide signed the DOD. MMSU Vice President for Research, Development, and Innovation Nathaniel Alibuyog witnessed the signing.

Other witnesses included MMSU Research Director Dionisio Bucao, MMSU Innovation and Technology Director Armie Sabugo, Takara Inc. President Kimio Takarada, and CSJ Co. Ltd. Managing Director Hideto Daiko.

In his message, Dr. Manzano emphasized the importance of sustaining MMSU’s black garlic project and expanding its reach to more markets.

“We will continue to work with JICA and its partners, like Takara Inc., for projects such as black garlic production in Ilocos Norte. We believe in the product’s potential not only to penetrate markets in the Philippines but also abroad,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ide congratulated MMSU and Takara Inc. for the success of the JICA-funded black garlic project in Ilocos Norte. He expressed confidence that the new equipment would further strengthen MMSU’s position as a center for black garlic production in the Philippines.

“By effectively utilizing the equipment and technical knowledge gained, MMSU is positioned to improve production practices further, ensure product quality, and expand market opportunities for black garlic,” he shared.

For his part, Dr. Alibuyog thanked JICA, Takara Inc., and Mr. Daiko for bringing black garlic technology to MMSU. He assured them that the university would use the donated equipment to benefit the communities it serves.

“We assure you that MMSU will be a good steward of this equipment for the benefit of producing new knowledge and innovation and translating these new technologies to help our farmers,” he said.

Takara Inc. President Kimio Takarada also expressed gratitude to JICA and MMSU for the opportunity to collaborate on the black garlic project. He expressed hope that the initiative would encourage more farmers to engage in black garlic production and view it as a sustainable livelihood.

“We hope that this project will help encourage more farmers to continue black garlic production and see it as a stable and attractive livelihood,” he said.

MMSU’s partnership with JICA and Takara Inc. for black garlic production began in 2019 when then MMSU President and now CHED Chair Shirley C. Agrupis signed an agreement for the transfer of black garlic production technology to the university. Since then, the university has served as a hub for black garlic production and technology transfer in the country.