A FILIPINA is expected to complete her master’s degree in Japan through a Tokyo-funded scholarship program.

According to Japan International Cooperation Agency, Kristine Mercado was granted an opportunity to study at Chiba University Matsudo Campus under its long-term Knowledge Co-Creation Program scholarship, ‘Agriculture Studies Networks for Food Security’.

“In 2020, sending off scholars to Japan was halted due to the Covid19 pandemic. Ms. Mercado was among the first few batches of scholars that were allowed to enter Japan in 2021. She is expected to graduate and return to the Philippines this March,” JICA said in a news release.

Mercado’s thesis is entitled ‘Determinants of Technical and Allocative Efficiency of Rice Farming: A case of Jones, Isabela, Philippines’.

The study is focused on the factors affecting the efficiency of rice farmers in allocating the right mix of farm resources in producing the maximum output given the input prices.

“With the lifting of quantitative restrictions of rice in the Philippines, improving efficiency is necessary to increase farmers’ productivity and cost competitiveness,” JICA said.

The KCCP is a form of technical cooperation composed of training and scholarships that aims to share Japan’s long history of development, as well as vast knowledge and expertise to partner countries such as the Philippines in order to foster human resource development towards socio-economic growth.

The KCCP is also an information and experience-sharing platform that fosters dialogue and collaboration among Japanese universities and institutions.