BALANGA CITY—-Five Korean agriculture specialists conducted an educational tour of Bataan mango farms in this City, which are included in the Science and Technology Community Based Farm project (STCBF) here.
The Korean specialists are Jina Oh, Research Scientist, Chemical Safety Division, National Academy of Agriculture Science; Jihye Kim, Research Scientist, Grassland and Foray Division, National Institute of Animal Science; Sunyoung Choi, Extension Specialist, Gwangju Agriculture Extension Center; Jaejong Noh, Research Scientist, Watermelon Experiment Station, Jeollabuk-do Agriculture Research and Extension Service; and Yeong–Hoon Lee, Research Scientist, Legumes and Oil Crop Research Division, National Institute of Crop Science.
The Korean agriculture experts interviewed farmer Anthony Villanueva on the challenges of operating a mango orchard and the benefits of science and technology interventions in his mango farm. He operates a mango farm at Sitio Camalig, Barangay Tuyo, this City, one of the 15 mango farms belonging to the STCBF project.
The recent Bataan mango farmers Field Day was held in Villanueva’s 4 hectare-farm with about 64 mango trees.
The Koreans also toured a mango farm in upland Barangay Cataning, also of this City, where they actually picked fruits from trees.
The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) of the Department of Science and Technology and Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) have collaborated for the implementation of science and technology interventions on mango growing project here.
PCAARRD through the offices of Dr. Danny Cardenas, PCAARRD Deputy Director, and Technology Transfer Promotion Division (TTPD) provided fund for the project. Dr. Melvin Carlos is the director of PCAARRD TTPD. BPSU implements the project, which started last year.
Dr. Hermogenes Pagiua, BPSU Abucay Campus Chairman of Extension Services and project team leader, said the project explores the potentials of cooperators existing mango trees as a viable economic activity by following the science and technology interventions and proper management.
The Korean agriculture experts were accompanied by Dr. Lilian Bondoc, PCAARRD Supervising Science Specialist and two other personnel.
The Korean agriculture specialists were actually in the country for a month-long “English as a Secondary Language Training Course”, a collaboration program between Rural Development Administration (RDA) of South Korea and PCAARRD.
Bondoc explained that the Koreans undergo English language training proper on weekdays, and conduct educational and eco-tourism tours on weekends.
The RDA South Korea and PCAARRD have other collaborative programs that involve exchange of personnel and agricultural research technologies.
