Partners are now being sought to build the P90-million AgriMuseum project of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN), which aims to inspire education interests in agriculture and help solve food security threats.
"SEARCA (Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture) is actively inviting partners in the project, including the public and private sector, particularly food or agri-related companies that could contribute to it as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts," said SEARCA Director Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit Jr. said.
Philippine-based SEARCA is the proponent of the project. The Philippines, on the other hand, is part of the ASEAN community.
The project has so far received a P5-million grant from the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR).
To be hosted by the Philippines in Los Banos, Laguna, Saguiguit said "the museum will put on centerstage the history, science-based knowledge and innovations in agriculture, cross-cultural and cross-ecosystem comparisons, current issues and challenges, and envisioned futures of agricultural and food systems in Southeast Asia".
It will be built adjacent to the SEARCA headquarters within the University of the Philippines-Los Banos.
The IT-spiced facility is expected to benefit young people, especially students, as well as development practitioners, policy and decision-makers, researchers who require a deeper appreciation of agriculture in national development.
SEARCA will present its proposal to establish the Southeast Asian AgriMuseum and Learning Center at the biennial meeting of education ministers of 11 countries in Jakarta, Indonesia this week.
It has been included in the agenda of this high-level meeting on the instigation of Thai Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin who is concurrently President of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council.
