The Department of Agriculture- Regional Field Office 1 (DA-RFO1) has tapped Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University through its Agri-Aqua Technology Incubation (ATBI) arm for the training delivery and technology adoption components of the Balik Probinsya Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) Program of the national government.
The external grant amounting to over a million pesos allows DMMMSU-ATBI to become the market development and support partner of DA-RFO1 in its goals of establishing collective enterprise development, conduct of feasibility and market promotion, and forging of linkages between the government and the private sector to support returning Filipinos to their home provinces. The partnership makes DMMMSU the only SUC in Region 1 chosen for the technology transfer and enterprise development components of the project.
With the University’s established research and development framework and through ATBI, the University’s technology adoption and commercialization arm, DMMMSU was tapped to provide technology expertise and facilitate the transfer of various agricultural production and food processing technologies to help BP2 recipients in the Region establish agri-related enterprises to uplift their livelihoods. Employing the technology business incubation strategy of the DMMMSU-ATBI, the University’s role also includes transferring of technical and business skills to help recipients mount agri-related enterprises from knowledge acquisition.
For six months, February to July 2022, DMMMSU-ATBI will take charge of technology briefings followed by training and mentoring proper for BP2 recipients in Region 1 provinces, namely: Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte. Technology briefings are where services and technologies for incubation are presented while the training and mentoring phase involves lectures, hands-on demonstrations, field surveys, and evaluation of production systems and processing technologies. DA-DMMMSU partnership also puts in place creation of data base system of established BP2 enterprises, forging of more linkages and partnerships with public and private sector, socio-economic assessment of benefits, and continuous monitoring and evaluation of the progress made by BP2 recipients.
The Balik Probinsya Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) is a national government program that aims to decongest Metro Manila and other urbanized cities by encouraging low-income families to return or relocate to the provinces. It is a continuing strategy to drive inclusive and balanced urban and rural development, ensure rural prosperity, and complement initiatives towards attaining resilient and sustainable communities (E.O 114). (Ronald B. Bustos)