Funded by the ASEAN-German Programme on Response to Climate Change (GAP-CC)/Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the consultative meeting is one of the key activities at the national level to support the regional initiatives of the ASEAN Technical Working Group in Agriculture and Research Development (ATWGARD).
Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit, Jr., SEARCA Director, welcomed the participants to the meeting. In his opening remarks, Dr. Saguiguit underscored climate change as a major threat to the region’s agriculture and food sector, and highlighted the importance of regional strategies and policies that are well-coordinated and directed towards addressing the effects of climate change in the agriculture sector.
Dr. Teodoro S. Solsoloy, Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) Assistant Director and ATWGARD focal person for the Philippines, provided the participants with a brief background of the regional initiatives of the ATWGARD. Dr. Felino Lansigan, Agricultural Value Chain/Climate Resilience Expert cum Team Leader, and Dr. Romeo Labios, National Focal Person, facilitated the workshop in presenting the results of the good practice case studies for climate adaptation of rice and maize that can be upscaled into meaningful adaptation responses across the ASEAN region.
The consultative meeting brought together agriculture and climate change experts from DA, with DA-BAR as the ATWGARD focal point. Other participants who attended this activity included representatives from the DA Regional Integrated Agricultural Research Centers (RIARCS), DA-Corn Program, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), GIZ Philippines, WorldFish, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Philippines.
Ms. Kristine Joy S. Villagracia, Regional Knowledge Platform Coordinator; Ms. Minette M. Felismino, Researcher; and Mr. Jerrel Edric B. Mallari, Administrative Assistant, all from SEARCA, provided the necessary technical support for the activity. (Kristine Joy S. Villagracia)