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| The National Consultative Workshop on Aquaculture Engineering and Aquaculture-Fisheries Research Development and Extension Agenda for the Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization RDE Network drew participants from various government agencies, agricultural engineering organizations and the academe, including staff from PCAF and representatives from the Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization. |
Around 100 officials
from various government agencies, agricultural and aquacultural engineering
organizations and academic institutions gathered on July 21-22, 2015 to tackle
the development of aquaculture engineering in the country.
Recognizing the
vital role of aquaculture engineering in the development of the fisheries
sector, a National Consultative Workshop on Aquaculture Engineering and
Aquaculture-Fisheries Research Development and Extension (RDE) Agenda for the
Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization RDE Network (AFMechRDEN) was held at
the Electrical Engineering Building, College of Engineering and Agro-industrial
Technology, University of the Philippines, Los Baños, Laguna (UPLB).
Spearheaded by the
UPLB-Agricultural Mechanization Development Program (AMDP), the Professional
Regulations Commission-Board of Agricultural Engineering and the Philippine
Council for Agriculture and Fisheries through the Committee on Agriculture and
Fisheries Mechanization, the consultative workshop served as a venue to
strengthen and advance agricultural and biosystems engineering, particularly in
the field of aquaculture engineering for the overall development and
improvement of the agricultural and fisheries mechanization sector.
During the workshop,
the participants reviewed and updated the aquaculture engineering-related courses
in higher education institutions (HEIs) and the table of specifications in the board
exams. They also reviewed and planned for the operationalization of the Aquaculture
Engineering Practice of Agricultural Engineers and prioritization of
Aquaculture Engineering Standards for development.
The workshop also
focused on the training regulations on aquaculture mechanization and the Aquaculture
and Fisheries Agenda for inclusion in the AFMechRDEN HEI Agenda.
Prior to the
workshop, resource persons discussed various related topics such as the Agri-Pinoy
Fisheries Program and the Status of Aquaculture Engineering in the Philippines;
the Laguna Lake Development Program on Aquaculture Engineering; Industry
Perspectives on Fisheries Engineering and Aquaculture Engineering; Status of
the Aquaculture Engineering R&D in the Philippines; Aquaculture Engineering
Courses as per Commission on Higher Education Memorandum Order 37 of 2007; and the
AFMechRDEN Agenda of AFMech Law, among others.
UPLB Chancellor Dr.
Fernando Sanchez, Jr. encouraged everyone to work more closely to address the
challenges faced by the agriculture and fisheries sector through research,
development and extension and policy development especially in aquaculture.
He also emphasized
the relevance of agricultural engineering, particularly aquaculture engineering
as an industry and as a professional practice.
The consultative
workshop was organized in line with the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization
Act of 1997 and the Fisheries Code that supports aquaculture engineering as a
vital component in the development and modernization of the fisheries sector
and in the implementation of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Fisheries
Program.
Through the
activity, the organizers also aim to address the provisions of the Philippine
Agricultural Engineering Act of 1998 wherein aquaculture engineering
constitutes as one of the scope of practice of agricultural engineering.
Furthermore, the
consultative workshop is in accordance with the Agricultural and Fishery
Mechanization Law which mandates the UPLB-AMDP to lead and coordinate the
agricultural and fishery mechanization RDE program of all academic institutions
in the country. The law also tackles the development of training regulations on
agri-fisheries mechanization which include aquaculture mechanization.
Under
the law, the DA is also tasked to formulate a unified National Agricultural and
Fisheries Mechanization Research and Development and Extension Agenda in
consultation with the members of the AFMechRDEN.
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