The Department of Agriculture Regional Office in Bicol will host the 2nd Regional Technology Commercialization Forum for Agriculture and Fisheries on May 30, 2007 at the Starmark Royale, (in front of City Hall) J. Miranda Avenue, Naga City to accelerate the commercialization of agriculture and fishery technologies.

        Over 200 participants composed of farmers and fisherfolks, traders, processors from regions III, IV-A, IV-B and V as well representatives from State Colleges and Universities, banking institutions, and the local government units in Bicol are expected to attend said forum.

        The forum is a component activity of the National Technology Commercialization Program (NTCP), a priority program of the Bureau of Agricultural Research, which was signed on February 6, 2006 by then Agriculture secretary Domingo F. Panganiban through Department Administrative Order No. 3, Series of 2006. The program is in support to the attainment of DA’s twin goals of developing two million hectares of new land for agribusiness and reduction of cost of wage goods.

        Selected mature technologies will be presented during the forum which include: Machine Decorticated Fiber, Hand-woven Piña Cloth, and Handmade Paper Production from Queen Pineapple by Mario Espeso, General Manager of Labo Progressive Multi-Purpose Coop.; Environmentally Sound Aquaculture Techniques: Use of Tobacco Dust in Milkfish Culture by Felix A. Terrado, Jr., RFRDC Manager of BFAR –III; Village Level Cashew Apple Processing by Estrella B. Equiña of Western Philippine University in Palawan; Tamarind Wine Production by Amador Camo, Chairman of Big “A” Multi-Purpose Coop in Batangas; Artificial Fish Egg Incubator for Intensive Tilapia Hatchery by Arnold V. Velarde, Aquaculturist II of BFAR –V; Dehydrated Queen Pineapple Production by Sonia Rada, Production Manager, Caayunan Multi-Purpose Coop of Basud, Camarines Norte; and Wax Emulsion for “Queen Pineapple” and “Satsuna” Mandarin by Dr. Edralina P. Serrano of the Postharvest & Seed Sciences Division, Crop Science Cluster, College of Agriculture (PSSD-CSC-CA) of UP Los Baños.

        The forum will revolve around the national program theme “Stronger Technology - Investment Linkage for Competitive Agriculture and Fisheries.” (Lovella Guarin – RAFID 5)