THE KOREAN government pledged to allocate $14.95 million for the establishment of the Agricultural Genomics Research Center at the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

Representatives from the UP, International Rice Research Institute, and Korea International Cooperation Agency recently signed an agreement to formalize the project titled “Capacity-Building for Higher Education and the Establishment of Agricultural Genomics Research Center at the UPLB.”

“The AGRC complements UPLB’s AGORA research and extension agenda and would significantly contribute to UPLB’s capability to support and empower the Philippine agricultural sector through science and technology,” UPLB Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr. said.

UP President Angelo Jimenez called the project a transformative, saying that it will “bring immense benefits to the agricultural sector, research and development, and the Philippines-Korea relationship as a whole.”

KOICA country director Eunsub Kim said that technological adaptation was vital to the project. He encouraged collaboration with other partners to maximize the AGRC’s potential.

UP said the project aims to stimulate Philippine agricultural competitiveness “through stronger science and technology adaptation, promote genome-based research and development capabilities, and foster bilateral relations between the Philippines and Korea.”

It said that the Philippine government also committed to secure funding for the continuation and sustainability of the project, which will run until 2026.

“Through a mutual partnership with KOICA, we can be confident that we will be able to leave no one behind with people-centered peace and prosperity. [I am] eagerly looking forward to Phase 2 of the project,” Nathaniel Bantayan, UPLB Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension, said.