MOA
FOR PICAT2 SIGNED |
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Secretary Nasser C. Pangandaman of the Department of Agrarian Reform and His Excellency Israel Ambassador ZVI Vapni sign the Memorandum of Agreement for the Phase 2 of the Philippine-Israel Center for Agricultural Training (PICAT). Beside them are Undersecretary and PIO for FAPs Narciso Nieto and Ms. Yifat Shriki, First Secretary and Consul of the Embassy of Israel. Also in attendance are DAR PDMS/FAPsO MES Director Herminia B. San Juan, ARDO Felipe A. Simon of DARRO Region III, PARO Jocelyn O. Ramos of DARPO North Nueva Ecija and PICAT Project Coordinator Eugenio Balthazar (Makati City, December 16, 2009). |
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To sustain the gains achieved in the piloting of the project Philippine Israel Center for Agricultural Training (PICAT), a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the extension of the project for another two years was signed between DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman and Israel Ambassador Zvi Vapni. The signing was held at the Mandarin Hotel in Makati City on December 16, 2009. The project is a collaborative undertaking of the State of Israel and the Government of the Philippines and is jointly implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Central Luzon State University (CLSU) and concerned Local Government Units (LGUs). In the pilot phase of the project, a total of 25 field trials/farm demos have been conducted and about 30 Development Facilitators (DFs) from DAR and Extension Workers (EWs) of the two LGUs, i.e. San Isidro and Science City of Munoz in Nueva Ecija have been trained. In addition, validation of the sustainability and dissemination of the different technologies tested thru the conduct of farmers’ field school, farmers’ field day and technology fora were among the activities undertaken. The second phase of the project will extend its coverage to the entire Region III, focusing on areas covered by the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project III (ARISP III). The provision of marketing assistance under the Agrarian Information and Marketing Center (AIM-C) of ARISP III will complement the production of high value crops in PICAT Phase II. Under the Agreement, the Government of Israel through the National
Agency for International Development Cooperation (MASHAV) will dispatch
four professional experts every year for two years. The Italian
Ambassador is thankful for the opportunity to share the agricultural
technologies that their country is noted for while DAR Secretary
Pangandaman, for his part, thanked the Israel Government for its
continuing support to the cause of agrarian reform in the country,
specifically for having trained thousands of our professionals in
the different fields of specialization and farmers as well. |
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