BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
LAGUNA (June 16)—A Dubai-based scientist has conducted a plant breeding visit at the University of the Philippines-headquartered Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca).
Searca has assisted Dr. R. K. Singh of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in conducting an informal survey on the use of millets and quinoa as well as gathering information on their availability, accessibility and affordability in selected sites in the Philippines.
Singh, who is the ICBA Crop Diversification and Genetics program leader and principal scientist on plant breeding, visited Searca and started his informal survey from June 2 to 7.
He was received by Associate Prof. Joselito Florendo, Searca deputy director for administration; Dr. Romeo Labios, operations consultant, Partnerships Unit (PU); Assistant Prof. Glenn Baticados, program head, Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD); Beatrisa Martinez, executive coordinator, Office of the Director; and PU and EIGD staff.
Darlyn Angeles, project associate, and Jerrel Edric Mallari, project assistant, both of EIGD, also assisted Singh on his visits to village, town and city markets, including supermarkets, in Laguna, Batangas and Metro Manila.
Searca said it has a standing formal agreement with the Dubai-based ICBA to collaborate on areas of common interest.
In view of this, Searca said Singh broached the possibility of cooperation concerning internships in which Searca can send students for internships at ICBA or universities in ICBA’s network.