LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—While the current agricultural initiatives and policies are focused on rice and corn, an inter-governmental treaty organization and its partners are currently undertaking an International Benchmarking Study of the Philippine Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Industries co-developed and funded by the National Economic and Development Authority.
Dr. Glenn Gregorio, director of Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, said the study aims to help boost and reboot the Philippine livestock, dairy, and poultry subsectors.
He said Searca is implementing the collaborative study with the Philippine Institute for Development Studies and selected Asian research institutions.
“The study has been deemed necessary and timely as the Philippine government’s current agricultural initiatives and policies are skewed towards rice and corn,” Gregorio said.
He said the study also aims to determine comparative advantages of the Philippines and other Asian countries in terms of costs, production management, and marketing practices.
“It will also identify and analyze key enabling policies that would strengthen the livestock, dairy, and poultry subsectors,” Gregorio added.
The benchmarking study has local and international components. Given its wide network in Asia, SEARCA leads the international component and has partnered with three research institutions of Peking University, China; Kasetsart University, Thailand; and the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam. The local component of the benchmarking study is led by PIDS.
The project team for the international component is composed of selected staff from SEARCA’s Research and Thought Leadership Department including Dr. Pedcris Orencio, Program Head; Bernice Anne De Torres, Program Specialist; Rochella Lapitan, Senior Program Associate; Ruth Jazrel Bandong, Project Associate; and Xyrus Godfrey Capiña, Output-Based Project Associate.
Also part of the team includes industry experts from the Philippines, China, Thailand, and Vietnam, namely, Dr. Liborio Cabanilla, Cross-Country Study Leader; Dr. Jikun Huang, China Country Study Leader; Dr. Somkiert Prasanpanich, Thailand Country Study Leader; and Dr. Tran Cong Thang, Vietnam Country Study Leader, respectively. The local component, on the other hand, is led by Dr. Roehlano Briones, Senior Research Fellow of PIDS.
Gregorio said the results are expected to contribute to the development of national policies in support of the livestock, poultry, and dairy industries. The study is expected to run until October 2021.