A Taiwanese agricultural technology company and the ÌìÃÀÊÓƵ (UP) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for locating on UP Diliman campus a demonstration area for innovations in urban farming supporting climate change resilience, human wellness and other such sustainable development goals.
The signatories were Vanessa Ying Lin, AgriGaia Tech Co. Ltd. Chief Operating Officer, and UP President Angelo Jimenez. The AgriGaia contingent flew in from Taiwan for the MOU signing held at the UP Board of Regents Room, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman on Dec. 12, 2024. The signing preceded the first in a series of planning meetings between the two parties to thresh out the specifics and technicalities of the partnership, which, as with all other locators in the area, would then be formalized in a memorandum of agreement.
The Taiwanese company, which presented its expertise in sustainable greenhouse construction, irrigation, and agricultural innovations, will be allotted an ideal spot on currently idle UP Diliman lands that have recently been allocated for community development enterprises. The lead agency for the development project is the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO) under the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The planning meeting featured a presentation of the layout of developments in the proposed areas, including the topography, biodiversity, hazard maps, and current state. UP highlighted the need to make the technologies customized for the Philippine setting and produce, delineate AgriGaia’s interface with the other locators and community, and for all locators to be showcases not only of social entrepreneurship but also of disaster risk reduction, management, and resilience to climate change.
Present at the MOU signing and planning meeting were AgriGaia officials and the consultant, Prof. Chiachung Chen. Prof. Eing Ming Wu of Shu-Te University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, observed the proceedings. Prof. Wu heads Edu-Connect Southeast Asia, an association of Southern Taiwan universities, and business and development organizations for networking with Southeast Asian counterparts.
Professor Emeritus Gisela Concepcion and Jose Emmanuel Reverente, Special Advisers to the UP President for Research and Innovation, and Executive Director Alfredo Mahar Lagmay of the UP Resilience Institute gave their input as TTBDO Director Luis Sison, together with a technical team from the offices for project management and planning and design initiatives under the Office of the Vice President for Development, threshed out project details with the AgriGaia contingent. Training facilitator Jannina Rose Castillo of UP Saliksik Laboratory, a professional development center for Filipino researchers and faculty members, served as host of the ceremonies.
