The Visayas Consortium for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Program (ViCARP) conducted a benchmarking and learning visit in Taiwan’s prestigious agricultural research and technology centers last December 12-15, 2022. Its main purpose was to enhance the country’s enabling mechanism for technology management that will provide opportunities for technology transfer implementers to be exposed to the success stories and best practices in agricultural research and technology management of Taiwan.
The ViCARP team visited the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) - National Plant Genetic Research Center (Crop Germplasm Division, Applied Zoology Division and Agricultural Chemistry Division), World Vegetable Center, and Food and Fertilizer Technology Center (FFTC).
The 4-day activity has given opportunities to ViCARP and its CMIs to craft and plan for future collaboration and new initiatives. Participants were elated to be part of the benchmarking and learning visit saying that they had a wonderful experience making it a venue for strengthened partnership. Ms. Marita A. Carlos, the PCAARRD’s focal person for ViCARP, encouraged everyone to make consortium the platform and show window for the R and Development and Research Utilization in Eastern Visayas.
The learning visit was made possible through the utilization of the ViCARP’s cash incentive funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) as the First Runner-up for Ugnay Award in 2020.
The delegation was headed by the chairperson of ViCARP-RRDCC, Dr. Edgardo E. Tulin, and was assisted by the Director of ViCARP, Dr. Maria Juliet C. Ceniza and the entire Secretariat. Present in the activity were representatives from the 17 consortium member institutions.