Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

NEWS STORIES

ACIAR visits BPRE anew
by Erwin S. Embuscado (February 14, 2006)
The Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) visited the Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE) anew on December 7-10, 2005 to finalize with researchers the possible collaborative projects with the bureau.


Dr. Greg Daglish, Research Specialist and Mr. Peter Hughes, Development Extension Officer of the Queensland's Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (QDPI&F) under the Australian Government Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) briefed the group on the short term projects to be conducted.


Among these projects include focused extension on grain drying and aflatoxin; needs/gaps analysis; updating of the technical reference guide and other materials; and the finalization of mail out database which would include postharvest specialists network, subscriber and text messaging list.


The research managers also visited various areas in Luzon where BPRE collaborators are situated.


Early this year, the ACIAR officials including Dr. John Skeritt, Deputy Director for Research and Development and Mr. Allan Barden, International Program Support Manager, conferred with the BPRE management to discuss the ACIAR's part on the projects of the bureau, and renew their long-time relationship as Research and Development (R&D) partners.


The ACIAR and BPRE hope that their partnership will lead to a more profitable and globally competitive agriculture sector through international agricultural research.