The Department of Agriculture is eyeing a PHP657-million budget to enhance agricultural research in Leyte province.

In a statement on Wednesday, the DA regional office said the proposed project, which is up for approval by the Regional Development Council, is considered a priority by House Speaker and Leyte 1st district Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

“It will establish a competitive, technologically advance(d) and reliable agricultural research network providing a critical support base for farming communities and the private sector to ensure sustainable growth and development of the local agriculture sector,” it said.

The proposal includes the upgrading of the existing agriculture research centers of the DA regional office in the towns of Babatngon, Abuyog and San Miguel in Leyte. These experiment stations will focus on priority commodities like jackfruit and other fruit crops, livestock, poultry, rice and corn.

Also proposed is the revitalization of the Regional Research and Development/Extension Network for Agriculture and Fisheries and the Eastern Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center, established years back to develop a research program for agriculture.

The DA regional office also seeks to revitalize the provincial research and extension centers to facilitate the adoption of agricultural technologies from the provincial down to the municipal level.

“The concept is to conceptualize the technologies generated in the national and regional research centers and adopt site-specific technologies for application in the provincial and municipal level,” the DA added.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. repeatedly emphasized that the government would rely on research and technology to increase agricultural production. (PNA)