Your work does not end in the publication of a research paper; rather, it is just the beginning, was how Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo began his challenge to plant breeders/scientists during the recent opening of the seminar series on Rice and the Filipinos: The Last 100 Years held at the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Compound in Quezon City.
Sponsored and organized by the Philippine Rice Research Institute, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, and the BPI of the Department of Agriculture, the seminar series is being held in observance of the International Year of Rice this year.
In his keynote address, Secretary Lorenzo acknowledged the work of rice scientists and institutions in doing rice research and in coming up with various varieties of rice. However, he noted that scientists must also help in developing technologies for rice that could improve the welfare of rice farmers in terms of enabling them to be involved in agri-business ventures.
Secretary Lorenzo specifically cited the developments of the past 3 years where breakthroughs have taken place not only in rice production and harvesting, with the development of the hybrid rice using biotechnology, but also in new processes whereby by-products of rice have been utilized and marketed for other uses. He also pointed out that science and technological knowledge in the rice industry should evolve from increased yields to sustainability of yields to marketability of rice products to export of high-value rice varieties.
Sponsored and organized by the Philippine Rice Research Institute, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, and the BPI of the Department of Agriculture, the seminar series is being held in observance of the International Year of Rice this year.
In his keynote address, Secretary Lorenzo acknowledged the work of rice scientists and institutions in doing rice research and in coming up with various varieties of rice. However, he noted that scientists must also help in developing technologies for rice that could improve the welfare of rice farmers in terms of enabling them to be involved in agri-business ventures.
Secretary Lorenzo specifically cited the developments of the past 3 years where breakthroughs have taken place not only in rice production and harvesting, with the development of the hybrid rice using biotechnology, but also in new processes whereby by-products of rice have been utilized and marketed for other uses. He also pointed out that science and technological knowledge in the rice industry should evolve from increased yields to sustainability of yields to marketability of rice products to export of high-value rice varieties.
