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The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
ACIAR, established in June 1982, is an Australian Government statutory authority that operates as part of Australia's Aid Program within the departmental portfolio of the Foreign Affairs and Trade. It contributes to the aid program objectives of advancing Australia's national interest through poverty reduction and sustainable development by funding agricultural research and development projects which are jointly carried out by scientists from Australia and partner countries.
Research that works in the Philippines
ACIAR's program with the Philippines has been active since 1983 with the research priorities changing through time as guided by the country consultations conducted every four years. The most recent full program consultation with the Philippines was held in March 2006 wherein the relevant Philippine government departments, universities, national and regional consortia and research organisations, private sector associations and non-government organisations were represented.
The agreed priorities for collaborative research and development programs in the Philippines are listed under three thematic areas:
Subprogram 1: Increasing the market competitiveness of Philippines agricultural products
Subprogram 2: Farmer-based land and water resource management for profitable and sustainable agriculture
Subprogram 3: Addressing regulatory, policy and technical constraints to the adoption of research outputs
Each project, depending on the specific discipline to which it is classified, is under the supervision of a specific Research Program Manager at ACIAR. In the Philippines, the key program areas are Agricultural Systems Management, Fisheries, Horticulture, Soil Management and Crop Nutrition, and Policy Linkage and Impact Assessment. Most of the projects currently being implemented are focused on the southern Philippines although linkages with research experts and policymakers based in Manila and Los Baños are still maintained.
A recent initiative by ACIAR and a range of Filipino partners is the Philippines Horticulture Program (ACIAR – Philippines Horticulture Program) that was put together through an industry consultation in September 2007. The programs hope to improve the market competitiveness of selected vegetable industries and the profitability and export competitiveness of selected tropical fruit industries thereby increasing the income and improving the livelihood of high-value vegetable and tropical fruit growers in the southern Philippines.
Training and capacity building
Aside from funding collaborative research projects, ACIAR is also committed in strengthening the research capabilities of institutions and individuals involved in the projects. Opportunities for the personal development of ACIAR collaborators are offered through the following schemes:
The John Allwright Fellowship Program (hyperlink to http://www.aciar.gov.au/node/340) enables partner country scientists, involved in an active ACIAR project, to obtain their Masters or PhD qualifications from an Australian tertiary institution. While individual awardees benefit from the program, it is important to note that it is the enhancement of the ACIAR partner's research capacity that is the key target of the scheme.
The John Dillon Fellowship Program (hyperlink to http://www.aciar.gov.au/node/2077) provides opportunities for outstanding young agricultural scientists or economists, involved in an active or recently completed ACIAR project, to develop their leadership skills by exposing them to best-practice organisations involved in agricultural research, extension and/or policy making in Australia. The program is structured specifically to meet the individual needs of both the fellow as well as his/her employing organisation.
Occasionally, short-term ‘cross program' training activities for staff associated with active ACIAR projects are being conducted. Some of these activities are directly managed by ACIAR while some are managed by the ATSE Crawford Fund (hyperlink to www.crawfordfund.org).
ACIAR (Philippines)
For more information on ACIAR projects and activities in the Philippines, please visit www.aciar.gov.au/country/Philippines or contact:
Ms. Cecilia O. Honrado
ACIAR Manager (Philippines)
P +63 2 757 8241
F +63 2 757 8231
E Cecilia.Honrado@dfat.gov.au
Ms. Mara P. Faylon
ACIAR Assistant Manager (Philippines)
P +63 2 757 8209
E Mara.Faylon@dfat.gov.au