P100 Million allocated to foster 25 Innovative Agri-Tech Initiatives

PHILIPPINES. The Manila Times (05 November 2023) - Malacanang on Saturday welcomed the approval of a P100 million funding allotment for 25 innovation projects, including several agri-tech solution initiatives.

Communication Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the agri-tech solution projects that will receive funding support from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) would help increase food productivity in the country.

She made the statement a day after the NEDA announced that its National Innovation Council Executive Technical Board had approved the allocation of P100 million for 25 innovation projects under the agency's 2023 Innovation Grants.

"The 2023 Innovation Grants project is aligned with the efforts to promote local innovation in national development and sustainable economic growth, as outlined under the Republic Act 11293 or the 'Philippine Innovation Act,'" Garafil said.

She noted that the Alternative Onion Storage System using the Controlled Temperature and Automatic Air Flow Mechanism proposed by Occidental Mindoro State College is among the agri-tech solution projects that will get funding assistance.

"The 'Alternative Onion Storage System using Controlled Temperature and Automatic Air Flow Mechanism' provides for the construction of a warehouse equipped with an air blow storage system, which offers an alternative method to prolong the life span of onions," she said.

The Samar State University's Project GeoMap: Geospatial Mapping and Information System for Precise Farming and Smart Agriculture, as well as Eastern Visayas State University's TABU: A Mobile Application as an E-Commerce Tool for the Agricultural Industry in Eastern Visayas, were also included in the list of the 25-approved projects.

The Philippine Rice Research Institute's proposed artificial intelligence for impact-based forecasting and an early warning system for inclusive finance and strengthening of local economic development in Rice-Based Farming Communities were also among the approved agriculture-centered proposals.

Also approved were the Pre-Commercialization of Non-Hold-On Type Decorticating Machine for Abaca developed by the Department of Science and Technology's Forest Products Research and Development Institute; Jose Rizal State Memorial University's Prototyping and Pilot Testing of Seaweed Harvester; Cebu Normal University's From Farm to Market: and Co-creating the Cinnamon Industry in Cebu, Philippines.

Other projects on the list were the Batangas Animal Movement Reporting Approach to Control Diseases by Batangas' provincial government; the University of the Philippines Los Baños' Enhancement and Deployment of Smarter Pest Identification Technology Mobile Application; and Romblon State University's Establishment of a Bamboo Processing School Factory for Manufacturing Engineered-Bamboo and Steel Student Desks and Chairs.

Apart from agri-tech solutions, the other approved projects also cover augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) education platforms, smart data-driven policies, disaster preparedness, and cultural heritage preservation.

This year's proponents came from government agencies and offices, including state universities and colleges (SUCs) and government-owned and -controlled corporations.

The NEDA said the approved projects will showcase the creativity of Filipino innovation actors, as well as the vibrant and dynamic landscape of innovation across all regions.

"We congratulate all the successful innovation grantees, and we look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with each of you. This is Filipinnovation," it said.