MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) officially launched its fully constructed P100-M Smart Greenhouse inside its research station, the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex (NMACLRC) in Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon on Friday, April 1. 

The Smart greenhouse is a state of the art agricultural project granted by the South Korean government funded through its Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines, featuring Smart Greenhouse Technology for innovative production of strawberry, cherry tomato and white potato. 

Mr. Jong-Soon Lee, President of Korean Agency of Education Promotion and Information Service (EPIS) in Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries said the Smart Greenhouse has been established based on Korean Smart Greenhouse Technology after customizing the Philippine climate and various conditions. 

“Korean Smart Greenhouse Technology has been proven in terms of productivity and effectivity. I hope today’s event will serve as a meaningful step forward in developing the Philippine Agriculture by successful cooperation between Korea and the Philippines,” he said. 

DA Undersecretary for High Value Crops and Rural Credit, Evelyn Laviṅa said that with the technology shared by the Korean government, it is high time to look into the modernization of the country’s agriculture. 

She furthered escalating local production of high-value crops is highly potential with the use of the technology, particularly by enhancing production competitiveness of small and mid-sized farmers. 

“This technology will greatly help in the national agenda of the Duterte administration towards Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita. This new technology is crucial in feeding the next generation,” she said, delivering DA Secretary William D. Dar’s message. 

The Smart Greenhouse Project was subdivided into four components namely, the establishment of Smart Farm composed of 11 fully-automated Smart Greenhouses and 1 cold storage facility, development of a local distribution system, dispatch of experts, and capacity building for potential technology adopters. 

The project is being co-implemented by the DA-RFO 10, EPIS in Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries with its three consortia: the Hangkyong National University (capacity building), Shinhan Globe (system), and Shinhan A-Tec (farm establishment).

Through the project, DA-RFO 10 primarily aimed to increase the production of quality strawberry, cherry tomato, and white potato as the next trademark products of Northern Mindanao. 

In his message, DA-RFO 10 Regional Executive Director, Carlene C. Collado assured the Korean partners of the agency’s interest and commitment to the Smart Greenhouse Project. 

“We are very thankful for being the only region in the entire Mindanao to be chosen as the recipient of the Smart Greenhouse Project. Certainly, we will share the technology to our farmers not only in Bukidnon, but in all five provinces of Northern Mindanao, particularly through the promotion of Smart Farming and precision agriculture,” he averred. 

Aside from being a research and training center, DA-RFO 10 is planning to open the Smart Greenhouse to the public as agri-tourism destination in the region.

Supporting the activity were DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga and RTD for Research and Regulations Carmelita T. Bajarla, with DA-10 ManCom members, OneDA member agencies and LGUs.

Source || Department of Agriculture RFO X FB Page