MUNTINLUPA CITY — The Society for the Advancement of Breeding Research in Asia and Oceania (SABRAO) and the Crop Science Society of the Philippines (CSSP) will gather top agricultural minds at the Crimson Hotel in Alabang here in an international conference on August 13 to 15.
Anchored on the theme "Emerging Paradigms in Crop Science and Breeding: Cultivating Sustainable Solutions and Partnerships for a Resilient Future," the event will showcase groundbreaking research, innovative farming practices and robust collaborations to address pressing food security challenges.
The conference is co-organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), which is based in Laguna, and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST).
Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA center director and SABRAO president, said this packed agenda of the joint CSSP-SABRAO conference promises to be "a goldmine of knowledge for anyone invested in the future of agriculture."
Gregorio noted that a renowned scientist Eufemio Rasco Jr., an academician at the National Academy of Science and Technology-Philippines, will deliver the keynote address at the opening ceremony on August 13.
On the same day, the event comprises a powerhouse lineup of plenary sessions featuring leading agriculture experts from across the globe including Ajay Kohli, PhD, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) deputy director general for research, who will set the stage in discussing the changing paradigms in crop science and breeding.
Gregorio said a panel of Filipino and international heavyweights will delve into emerging solutions, from the local insights of DoST-PCAARD technical consultant Ramon Rivera and John de Leon, executive director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute, to IRRI senior scientist B.P. Mallikarjuna Swamy's global perspective.
He added that the future of farming will take center stage in the plenary session on transformative crop innovations toward regenerative agriculture with Jean Somera, Asia Breeding Corn Product unit lead of East Asia and Pakistan Cluster, Research and Development of Bayer Crop Science.
Gregorio said artificial intelligence and digital agriculture will also be on focus in a panel discussion with industry leaders.
Philippine FarmFix Solutions Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joel Laserna will share his vision along with Stephen Klassen, IRRI senior scientist; Yubin Yang, senior biosystems analyst of Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center; and Binhi Inc. CEO Rodel Anunciado.
Nutrition and sustainability will round out the day's agenda.
Howarth Earle Bouis, emeritus fellow of the International Food Policy Research Institute and 2016 World Food Prize Laureate, will discuss crops for a nutrition-secure future.
Gregorio said a panel will tackle the complexities of forging sustainable partnerships in crop science and breeding.
The panelists are Manuel Logroño, Maize Life and Farming president and founder; Reynaldo Ebora, DoST-PCAARD executive director; Eureka Teresa Ocampo, University of the Philippines Los Baños Institute of Crop Science director; Asia & Pacific Seed Association Director Francine Sayoc; and Ramakrishnan Nair, World Vegetable Center (South and Central Asia) Global Plant breeder.
The second day is all about the nitty-gritty of research with scientists presenting their latest findings in oral and poster sessions with topics ranging from boosting crop yields to developing new food products.
On the third day, the conference wraps up with expert-led workshops on crafting winning research papers.