Philippine food security seen depending on maximizing research

FOOD SECURITY will depend largely on unlocking the Philippines’ intellectual capital residing within research institutes and the education system, providing the best possible footing for an economic recovery, an agriculture think tank said.

According to a paper written by Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Director Glenn B. Gregorio and Rico C. Ancog, the Philippines must maximize the “knowledge economy” in agriculture to upgrade food production, manufacturing, and services.

According to their study, Food Security amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, the researchers said the country’s “intellectual capital” can contribute to food security by ensuring greater food availability, easier access, industry stability, and better food utilization.

“A country like the Philippines needs an adequate cadre of researchers who appreciate the need to shorten the gap between research productivity and its translation to economic development,” the researchers said.

The knowledge economy requires the national government to provide incentives and support to researchers and faculty.

“While agriculture higher educational institutions in the Philippines have long been established, these institutions need to partner with the government, which provides policies and funding for initiatives in technology,” the researchers said.

“Their partnerships should be with the private sector, which has the know-how in sustaining economic activity through business and commercial tools,” the researchers added. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave