The Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Japan’s National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) and Institute of Agricultural Machinery (IAM).

The MOU calls for a collaboration between the agencies in the conduct of activities related to the promotion of sustainable agricultural mechanization between the two countries.

NARO Director General Hiroshi Fujimura handed over the signed MOU to Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Segfredo R. Serrano and DA-BAFE Acting Executive Director Cristy Cecilia T. Polido on March 21, 2019. Officials from the IAM, the Embassy of Japan and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) were also present to witness the event.

Serrano said that DA can adopt the Japanese government’s mechanization program, which follows the structure of agriculture. He said the evolution of Japanese farming has taught their farmers to be even more efficient and productive.

“We are very much aware of the Japan’s emphasis on quality and functionality on their machineries, and we hope to gain from your long history of development,” Serrano said.

Under the MOU, technical information exchange will be conducted in the areas of Testing and Evaluation of Agricultural Machinery, Farm Equipment Safety and Ergonomics, Agricultural Mechanization Policy Formulation, and other related areas through mutual consultations.

NARO representatives is set to visit some Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center (AMTEC) facilities in the country to observe local mechanization activities and protocols. T

“We want to study agri mechanization in the Philippines, so we provide beneficial changes,” Dir. Fujimura said. ### (Kristel Merle, DA-AFID)