After a sixteen-year technical collaboration, SL Agritech Corporation (SLAC) and the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the SL-8H F1 seed production, which further strengthens agriculture technology development between the Philippines and Bangladesh.
The joint action of the two companies started in 2005, and was reinforced throughout the years as both parties took active parts in seed production and registration activities.
The renewed partnership under the MOA comes in an opportune time as the world faces a possible food crisis due to the ongoing pandemic and dispute between Ukraine and Russia.
Henry Lim Bon Liong of SLAC expressed gratitude to its Bangladeshi counterparts for its full trust and confidence to the Philippine seed production company.
“It is rewarding that our collective efforts, especially in rice production will alleviate fear caused by the looming food crisis,” he said.
SLAC is the biggest hybrid rice seed company in the Philippines and has been instrumental in government programs anchored on attaining rice sufficiency.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar who was among the signatories of the MOA lauded both companies for their vision in food security.
He expressed his admiration to the Bangladesh government for having the political will to pursue programs and initiatives to attain food security.
“For years, they have allotted a significant budget for the food production sector, and have invested so much to ensure that their citizens will have enough food supply. We have to learn lessons from Bangladesh,” Secretary Dar stressed.
Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture Secretary MD Sayedul Islam said that the Bangladesh government is moving very fast to ensure food and nutritional security.
He thanked the Philippine government, for its continuous cooperation, and looks forward to more agreements in other areas, particularly in pineapple and banana.
Under the MOA, SL Agritech will guarantee timely supply of good genetically pure parental lines to be used for F1 seed production in Bangladesh, while BADC will provide production area, inputs, and facility. It will also be responsible for labor and administrative expenses, as well as production and postharvest activities.
The agreement was signed by Lim for SL Agritech and AFM Hayatullah, Chairman of BADC.
It was witnessed by Secretaries Dar and Islam, Alvin Poncin of the International Rice Research Institute, Dr. Santiago Obien, Senior Technical Adviser of the DA Hybrid Rice Program, Dr. Weijun Xu, VP of SLAC, and BADC representatives MD Mostafizur Rahman, Pradip Chandra Dey, MD Shahidullah Sheikh, and Ripon Kumar Mondal. ### (Adora Rodriguez, DA-AFID)
