EFFORTS to establish the country’s first dedicated Agricultural Genomics Research Center are advancing, with a meeting of Philippine research institutions led by the University of the Philippines Los Baños, the Korea International Cooperation Agency, and the International Rice Research Institute set for next week.

The meeting is part of the steering committee’s efforts for the project, “Capacity-Building for Higher Education and the Establishment of Agricultural Genomics Research Center at UPLB,” launched in 2023.

A key initiative is the construction of the Agricultural Genomics Research Center at UPLB, envisioned as a state-of-the-art hub for advanced agricultural genomics research.

Genomics — the study of genes and their traits —plays a vital role in improving crops, livestock, fish, and forest plants by enhancing their resistance to stresses and increasing productivity. This research is pivotal to advancing food security and environmental sustainability.

The steering committee, chaired by UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr., will discuss strategies, including increasing master’s and doctoral students in Korean universities, securing equipment for the AGRC, and facilitating internships.

Members of the committee include KOICA PH Country Director Kim Eunsub, IRRI Director General Yvonne Pinto, National Scientist Dolores A. Ramirez, and representatives from the National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Agriculture CALABARZON, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, and Commission on Higher Education.

Last March, the first PSC meeting featured the signing of an agreement outlining roles, including implementing scholarships, collaborative research, and capacity-building activities to support genome-based research and development.