World-class AIT Center in Bataan eyed

BALANGA CITY, Bataan –  A foreign-owned agricultural firm is eyeing  for the creation  of a world-class agricultural innovation and technology center (AITC) project  estimated to be worth  P17.5 million under the Public Private Partnership  (PPP) program for the people and investment opportunities in Dinalupihan town, this province.

Michael Sidon, agricultural technologist of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), explained that Agri-Lever, an Israel based corporation chaired by Yoav Schwalb wrote Bataan Governor Albert Raymond S. Garcia about the proposal to set up a working proof of concept farm that will be funded by Agri-Lever and a local partner, 60 percent of the funding coming from proponent while 40 percent by the local counterpart.

He said based on the scheme, the foreign-corporation would design and donate technology for a center that would provide services that are effective  and would make impact for subsistence farmers, small and medium commercial farmers and large intensive growing farms.

According to Sidon the work on the project would start as soon as the Agriculture Innovation and Technology Center (AITC) becomes operational within 8 months and economically self-sustaining within two years.

Sidon, who undertook 10 months of extensive agricultural trainings in Israel, has cited in a farming manual that the key to meeting production challenges and creating prosperous future lies  in insuring accesses to the best practice knowhow, technology, innovation and high-tech agricultural production system .

Likewise, the  changing  of old concept  of agricultural production from subsistence to modern methods stimulates economic growth, generates  employment opportunities and ensures a stable and plentiful supply with the anticipated economic  growth of Bataan peninsula  as haven for manufacturing firms in Central Luzon.