The national innovation agency of the United Kingdom along with 10 companies have expressed interest in collaborating with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on agricultural innovation and renewable energy.
According to SEARCA headed by Director Glenn Gregorio, a team from Innovate UK recently explored possible areas of partnerships, discussed their respective thrusts and activities, and toured the SEARCA Hub for Agricultural and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation called Sharing, an interactive museum of agricultural innovation.
Nur Azura Adam, SEARCA deputy director for programs, presented the National Agriculture and Fishery Modernization and Industrialization Plan (NAFMIP) 2021-2030, a directional strategy of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
According to Nur, NAFMIP, a strategic plan that will guide the agriculture sector's growth, is linked to other plans such as the commodity industry roadmaps, Provincial Commodity Investment Plans and the National Climate Change Action Plan of the Philippines (NCCAP).
Supported by the Asian Development Bank, SEARCA will develop the NAFMIP in partnership with the DA and the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Nur said the agri-fishery sector, among others, is vital in addressing the impacts posed by environmental changes, including climate change, and in mainstreaming climate action at all levels.
She noted that with the NCCAP, the seven strategic priorities are updated to align with the latest climate science and national development priorities.
"These priority areas are food security, water sufficiency, ecological and environmental stability, human security, climate-smart industries and services, sustainable energy, and knowledge and capacity development as the strategic direction for 2011 to 2028," Nur said.
She said the national agencies on agriculture and energy came out with a joint memorandum on formulating and implementing a renewable energy program for the agri-fishery sector.
Romeo Labios, SEARCA technical consultant, said the center has initiated a project on carbon farming and is working together with Straw Innovations Ltd. on the Rice Straw Biogas Hub project.
He said the Web-Based Integrated Spatial Engine and Smart Ecosystem (Wise) Carbon Farming project aims to develop standards for allowing agro-industry to offer carbon credits.
"Specifically, Wise carbon farming hopes to implement on-farm-level carbon mitigation technologies and approaches; develop profitable carbon agribusiness models; and reduce carbon footprints on Southeast Asian farms," Labios said.
With this, Labios said SEARCA will hold a series of roundtable on sustainable food and agriculture systems in partnership with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Also during the exchanges, Straw Innovations Ltd. founder Craig Jamieson showcased the Rice Straw Biogas Hub, a collaboration with UK-registered startup Straw Innovations Ltd., as lead proponent, SEARCA, UK SME Koolmill and the UK as academic partner.
According to SEARCA, the project that started in September 2022 is expected to generate biogas as clean energy from waste rice straw and provide innovative technology services for rice farmers.
It said the hub is preparing for its first commercial-scale in Laguna with funding from Innovate UK, and intends to enable rice farmer cooperatives to see a working model that can be applied across the Philippines for income resilience.
Innovate UK showcases various energy startups
Emmanuel Matsika, Environmental and Quality Solutions Ltd. director, showed the company's financial model for rural areas to produce clean and affordable renewable electricity.
Matsika said large quantities of biomass wastes that are affecting the globe present a great opportunity to turn the abundance of rice husk waste to generate clean and cheaper electricity in rural areas.
John Allport, University of Huddersfield Department of Engineering and Technology professor, presented how their energy integration laboratory turns waste from local companies into energy and eventually as fertilizers.
"[Our] full-scale systems could be developed and are open to being tested further at energy test sites worldwide," Allport said.
Mark Paulson, Mostex Global Solutions Ltd. director, discussed the link of wood pellet production to deforestation and alternatives to the high cost of forest raw materials. In 2019, Mostex was set to find sustainable sources of nonwoody biomass for clean and cheap fuel in power generation.
Sergio Cardamas, DpSun Ltd. managing director, said they work on rural electrification, e-mobility and building-integrated photovoltaics. "[We] have recently partnered with Indonesia to support a remote community in producing coconut commodities and with the Indo-Pacific to reduce emissions, costs and energy insecurities for ice cream retailers."
Chief Executive Officer Martim Cunha of Aeon Energy said their mission is to create innovative net-zero renewable energy solutions for climate-vulnerable communities. "The rise of wave power to generate clean and sustainable energy for all mankind is vital to save money and the environment."
Director James Diddams of Archelous Energy said there is a need to embrace hydrokinetic power generated by water motion in rivers and tidal currents.
In 2021, he said their 200-kilowatt prototype project on Flooding Instream Tidal and Solar hydrokinetic generation unit was proven over a series of successful test rounds on the Hlaing River in Myanmar.
"With our system in place, a community will benefit from safe, reliable, clean electricity, replacing greenhouse gas emissions and providing them multiple opportunities for improved livelihoods," Diddams said.