2 PCC research papers win AFMA R&D Paper Awards

Two PCC research papers recently won in the 21st National Research Symposium (NRS) conducted by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), Department of Agriculture (DA) last October 8 to 9.

The research papers were “Intensifying Village-level Carabao-based Dairy Cooperative Enterprise Development in Non-Traditional Dairy Communities” and “Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) for Rapid Screening of Bull Semen for Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Infection”.

They bagged the Best AFMA R&D Paper Award and 2nd Runner-Up in the Development and Basic Research categories, respectively.

The first paper which was on development research, was authored by Dr. Liza G. Battad with Wilma T. del Rosario, Sonia D. Pol, Arline M. del Barrio, Honorato N. Baltazar, and Maricel C. Gonzaga as co-authors.

The second, a basic research paper, was authored by Dr. Rubigilda C. Paraguison and co-authored by Dr. Clarissa Yvonne J. Domingo, and Dr. Ester B. Flores.

The paper of Dr. Battad’s team presented the impressive growth of the dairy economy in Nueva Ecija triggered by the impact zone template that provided an integrative system of convergence and collaboration of the many stakeholders in the dairy industry.

It also demonstrated the feasibility of buffalo dairying in non-traditional dairy communities as evidenced by the increasing incomes of smallhold farmers, cooperatives and other participants of the dairy chain.

Dr. Battad and her team won a cash incentive of P50,000 aside from a certificate given by DA-BAR Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar and Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap. Dr. Battad is PCC’s chief for Planning and Special Projects.

Dr. Paraguison’s team, on the other hand, won a cash prize of P20,000 and a certificate.

Their paper demonstrated the simplicity of the RT-LAMP technique for the rapid and safe screening of FMD virus. One of the strategies presented in their paper was the sample testing of semen with suspected FMD virus infection that proved the reliability of the technique.

Last year, two of Dr. Paraguison’s research papers won third place and finalist in the NRS.

PCC executive director Dr. Libertado Cruz commended the research teams for winning in the NRS. In his congratulatory remarks, he said that researches must be done with speed, efficiency, and accuracy.

He added that research is very important especially in this time of global competitiveness.

The annual NRS aims to recognize significant research results that contribute to the achievement of goals in the agriculture sector.

Anchored to the objectives of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA), DA-BAR continues to resolve challenges in poverty, food security, and climate change concerns through strong support to viable research studies and adaptation of results on how these global challenges can be addressed.