Agrilink 2014 is the place where you can avail yourself of various seminars and presentations on various aspects of agribusiness for free. This will be held on October 9-11 at the World Trade Center at the corner of Gil Puyat Avenue and Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City.

Foundation for Resource Linkage and Development (FRLD), the Agrilink organizer, has provided us the schedule of major seminars to be conducted by the government agencies and some private groups.

AGRINNOVATION – On Oct. 9, PhilMech will launch Agrinnovation, its latest research and development project aimed at increasing farm mechanization level in the country. Because technologies are oftentimes location-specific, certain technologies need to be adapted to suit the soil, terrain, cropping patterns and agronomic characteristics of crops inherent to local situations.

FRLD explains that PhilMech’s Agrinnovation works to localize, re-engineer, retrofit, or contextualize available machineries and facilities to create faster and more appropriate R&D results. This approach has been successful in crops such as coffee, cacao, soybean, cashew, mango, banana and coconut.

KAPIS PRODUCTION – Also on October 9, Lilian Garcia will conduct a seminar on the economic uses and current status of Philippine kapis production, and how agribusinesses can help strengthen the industry through research and technology, product development, market promotion and commercialization. Ms. Garcia is the assistant regional director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Region 3. She will conduct the seminar in collaboration with the Bureau of Agricultural Research.

HONEYBEE INDUSTRY – The Bureau of Agricultural Research and Dr. Cleofas Cervancia will conduct a seminar on the current and future status of the Philippine apiculture industry. Dr. Cervancia is professor emeritus of UP Los Baños Institute of Biological Sciences. The seminar will focus on bee product standardization, utilization and packaging. She will also discuss the different bee species and how honey and other hive products are produced. These include propolis, pollen, beeswax, royal jelly, soap and other cosmetic products.

In an effort to further strengthen the apiculture industry, the seminar will also share research results, specifically on the standard forage, colony management, harvesting and processing of honey and its byproducts.

INVESTMENT FORUM – The Agricultural Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) headed by Leandro Gazmin will conduct an investment forum to increase awareness, provide agribusiness investment opportunities and enhance the entrepreneurial skills of farmers, fisherfolk and other stakeholders.

The forum will focus on fishery, mariculture and ornamental fishery products such as mangrove crabs, milkfish, saline tilapia and siganid. AMAS will also discuss how agribusinesses can avail of the various financing programs for the fisheries sector.

FISH PROCESSING DEMO – On Saturday, October 11, AMAS will conduct a demonstration on processing and value-adding of fish products like Spanish sardines, fish burgers and native fish sausages. Martin de Leon and Erwin Leonor of Spread Organic Agriculture in the Philippines (SOAP), in coordination with AMAS, will conduct a seminar on the benefits of urban agriculture. SOAP will also hold a seminar and demonstration on aquaponics or the integration of traditional aquaculture with cultivation of crops in water (hydroponics).

OTHER SEMINARS – Aside from the above, other seminars include “Innovation towards               ASEAN Integration Competitiveness,” and “Ensuring Food Safety and Quality of Fresh Horticultural Products for Enhanced Competitiveness in the ASEAN Market.” These will be conducted by the Post-Harvest Horticulture Training and Research Center of UPLB’s Crop Science Cluster.

On the other hand, Richfund International will discuss organic farming and soil management practices, with emphasis on soil function and quality indicators. Rita Macabuhay and Marjay Magbanua of MFI Foundation will discuss how to start bamboo farms, including propagation, establishment of nurseries and maintenance of existing bamboo stands.

See you there at Agrilink 2014!