The National Dairy Authority (NDA) has tapped the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) in pursuing the goal of boosting food production in the country, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.
The agreement signed by the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE) with PhilSA requires the use of advanced space technology to boost farm productivity, improve resource utilization and enhance project monitoring.
The pact is expected to modernize data collection, analysis and dissemination, fostering informed decision-making and sustainable growth in the agriculture and fisheries sector.
The project also requires joint research, exchange of expertise and information, capacity-building exercises and project implementation focused on monitoring farm-to-market roads and agricultural commodities such as onion and corn.
This partnership is undergoing pilot testing in Nueva Ecija.
“Using technology and data analytics, we can gain invaluable insights into crop health and soil conditions, enabling us to make informed decisions and implement targeted interventions,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
He said the data will also help policymakers with near real-time data and gain insights for strategic planning and decision-making purposes.
The BAFE as DA central engineering arm ensures effective and efficient mechanization of the sector and provides infrastructure interventions to modernize the agriculture and fishery sector.
The BAFE also makes full use of other digital technologies including agricultural and bio systems engineering management and geographic information for agricultural and fisheries machinery and infrastructure.
The DA said the NDA is expanding its footprint to Western Visayas as part of plans to further grow the domestic dairy industry.
The NDA and the local government of New Lucena in Iloilo have signed a memorandum of agreement establishing the agency’s Western Visayas regional office, laboratory, dairy showroom, dairy demo farm and the country’s first feed center in a three-hectare property provided by the town.
The NDA said the P40-million New Lucena project uses innovative dairy techniques and farm management practices, including the establishment of feed centers to ensure optimal nutrition for dairy cattle to boost output.
The agency targets to achieve 5 percent milk sufficiency for the country and produce 80 million liters of milk by 2028.
