Goodbye RRDEN and RAFEN, hello AFFREDN!

Agricultural Training Institute’s Center Director, Mr. Rogelio Evangelista thus enthused in his message during the Agriculture and Fisheries Resources, Research and Extension for Development Network (AFFREDN) Organizational Workshop held today at the DA-Regional Field Office I (DA-RFO I) 5th Floor Conference Room in San Fernando City, La Union.

A meeting organized by the DA-RFO I’s Research and Development Division led by Dr. Gilbert Rabara, several members of agricultural research agencies and institutions including the academe and the local government units in the region were apprised on the general provisions of the converge Regional Research for Development Network (RRDEN) and the ATI’s Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Network (RAFEN) now called the AFFREDN.

Aimed at harmonizing programs and services to make bigger impact in modernizing the agriculture and fishery landscape through development research and innovations, the AFFREDN likewise ensure the proper generation, dissemination and scaling of agri-fishery technologies, thus eliminating duplications of research proposals for endorsement to funding agencies and institutions resulting to the maximum utilization of resources.

Introducing the AFFREDN, Dr. Rabara shared the composition at the national level which shall be led by an Undersecretary or Assistant Secretary (as designated by the DA Secretary) with the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) and ATI Directors as Co-Chairs. Included as members at the national level are the DA families with R4D&E mandates, the Philippine Association of Research Managers and the Philippine Extension and Advisory Services Network.

In Region 1, the Regional AFFREDN shall be chaired by the DA-RFO I Director, co-chaired by the DA-RFO I Regional Technical Director for Research & Regulations. The Vice-Chairman according to the guideline shall be the RTD for Operations and the Co Vice-Chairs shall be the Chief of the Research Divisions and the ATI’s Center Director. Identified as members in the regional AFFREDN are the Field Operations Division, regional research and experiment stations, state colleges and universities, provincial LGUs, ATI accredited private extension service providers, association of ATI-accredited learning sites for agriculture civil society organizations as well as business enterprises that involves in R4D&E programs and activities.

As initial convergence activities of the AFFREDN, several meetings are on set this year with the P1 million fund support from the DA-BAR which include among others the screening and reviews of proposals as well as capability buildings and technology promotions and investment to work on possible partnership and collaborations by among the AFFREDN member-partner agencies.