BWSM, JIRCAS partner on agri-tech projects

The Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) and the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) strengthened their collaboration in pushing agricultural technology in the country aimed at boosting local production.

This comes as the BSWM and the JIRCAS recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work on two projects, one of which is to develop carbon storage approaches and technologies in farmland soils to promote soil health and fertility and enhance agriculture sustainability and resilience.

As per the second project, a study will be conducted on the environmental conservation technologies for tropical islands through the “Yama-Sato-Umi” (“Mountain-Village-Sea”) perspective, which DA said will focus on the relationship between land, sea and society.

“This particular project aims to develop technologies for the prevention of soil erosion in hilly agricultural lands and reduction of fertilizer inputs, gather and analyze scientific evidence that can contribute to the conservation of mangrove ecosystems,” their statement read.

Moreover, a basin model will also be developed to evaluate environmental conservation effects on river water quality and quantity.

"These projects are supported and are very much in line with the National Soil Health Program, which is one of the top priority agenda of the DA to contribute towards sustainable management of soil and water resources as well as the productivity of the agriculture sector,” said BSWM director Dr. Gina Nilo.