GOVERNOR Dennis “Delta” Pineda has committed some P1.5 million for the planning and as additional funding for the initial implementation of the Pampanga Agri-Modernization Program (PAMP).

PAMP is currently led by the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU).

On Thursday, August 23, Pineda met with Maria Victoria Espaldon of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) and PSAU president Dr. Honorio Soriano, Jr.

Governor Pineda expressed support for the implementation of PAMP and its possible contribution in cushioning the effects of the Rice Tarrification Law.

Soriano said PAMP is aimed at addressing agricultural productivity, sustainability, environmental integrity, socio-economic welfare, and poverty alleviation through agricultural modernization.

Governor Pineda is also interested to study the Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry (Sarai) Project, introduced by UPLB.

Espaldon said project Sarai is designed to make use of precision agriculture and science to develop tools, systems, and approaches to enable various stakeholders to cope and adjust to climate change.

“This will also provide farmers and local government units (LGUs) crop advisories forecasts, integrated pest and nutrient management, water management, and alternative planting dates,” she said.

It was learned that Sarai is a three-year research program funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development-Department of Science and Technology (PCAARRD-DOST), and is implemented in UPLB.

Governor Pineda had ordered Management Information System Officer Mary Lou Espaltero to check the facility located in Los Baños to see how Sarai monitoring system works.