Investment guide for 'agripreneurs' launched

  • 7 September 2018

Source: The Manila Times
7 Sep 2018

THE Department of Agricure-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) has published an investment guide for prospective agricultural entrepreneurs in collaboration with the Philippine-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).

Entitled Financial Viability and Profitability Analysis of New Technologies and Enterprises: A Training Manual, the publication, aiming to help identify high-value crop ventures, was launched during 14th Agriculture and Fisheries Technology Forum and Product Exhibition held in SM Megamall last August 30.

Nicomedes Eleazar, DA-BAR executive director, said the manual would help farmers and investors determine profitability by providing a guide in evaluating costs and returns of target ventures.

"We believe that given the right opportunities, training and innovations, farmers and fishers can be 'agripreneurs'," Eleazar said.

He said DA-BAR would continue disseminating its research results so the public use the information to improve agricultural and fisheries output, and encourage them to engage in "agripreneurship."

Copies of the investment guide may be availed from the DA-BAR, he added.

Meanwhile, Senator Cynthia Villar, Senate Food and Agriculture Committee chair, has affirmed this saying, "it is important to create technologies and systems that can reach intended beneficiaries and further improve the performance of Philippine agriculture and fisheries."

The DA-BAR leads and coordinates research and development (R&D) on agriculture and fisheries in the country.

A long-time partner of DA-BAR in research, capacity building, and knowledge management projects, Searca, on the other hand, is a regional treaty organization that promotes inclusive and sustainable agricultural and rural development through graduate education and institutional development, R&D, and knowledge management.