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| RP, Vietnam ink pact to boost rice production |
| 07-JAN-2010 Intellasia | Sun Star |
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| 7 Jan, 2010 - 7:00:00 AM |
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A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Philippines and Vietnam wherein the two countries agreed to cooperate in developing and adopting sustainable rice technologies to further boost production of this Asian food staple.
Signed by representatives of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and Vietnam's Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute (Nomafsi), the MOU aims to provide a venue for an exchange between the two countries of scientific resources in developing new and improved palay varieties that are high yielding, of good grain quality, with disease and pest resistance, and with wide adaptability.
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Inked in Vietnam by Nomafsi deputy director general Ha Dinh Tuan, this MOU also calls for research activities using PalayCheck and integrated pest management (IPM) to boost palay production.
PalayCheck consists of production technologies and practices for increased yields while IPM uses a number of complementary strategies such as biological and cultural management practices.
Food security in the country, particularly with respect to palay, is now facing an uncertain future as the El Niño phenomenon is expected to hit rice-producing provinces within the first quarter of the year.
"The bilateral partnership aims to harness manpower to provide mutually supportive services to farmers of both countries," PhilRice executive director Ronilo Beronio, who signed the accord on behalf of the Philippines, said in a statement.
Beronio said the agreement, aims to further increase the year-on-year output for the Philippines and Vietnam.
The intellectual property rights of the joint research activities shall be owned by both parties, Beronio said.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/rp-vietnam-ink-pact-boost-rice-production
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