DOST-CALABARZON conducts crop baseline profiling activities for 22 farmers in Laguna, Cavite, and Quezon under Project SARAI
By Sophia B. Gesmundo
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) CALABARZON, through Project SARAI (Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines), successfully conducted a series of Crop Profiling Activities across selected municipalities in the region. These were held on March 18, 2026, in Siniloan, Laguna; March 23, 2026, in Magallanes, Cavite; and March 24, 2026, in Lucena City, Quezon, engaging a total of 22 farmer group representatives from their respective organizations.
The activity aimed to enhance the accuracy and local relevance of DOST-SARAI’s decision support tools by actively engaging Local Government Units (LGUs), particularly through their respective Municipal and City Agriculture Offices. Through this initiative, dominant crop varieties and locally produced commodities in each municipality were identified and validated. The data gathered will serve as critical inputs for refining the SARAI Team’s site-specific recommendations and targeted interventions.
The program commenced with an overview of Project SARAI delivered by Mr. Aaron Paul R. Dizon, Crop Expert of the SARAI Team, highlighting the project’s objectives, technologies, and support mechanisms for farmers and LGUs. This was followed by a focus group discussion (FGD), where participating farmers shared their crop profiles, farming practices, and on-the-ground experiences. These discussions generated valuable insights into prevailing agricultural conditions, including key challenges such as pest incidence and management, the need for timely and accessible agricultural and climate-related information, and the need for improved irrigation systems and adequate farm input support.
The activity concluded with a synthesis of key findings, emphasizing the importance of integrating farmers’ knowledge and local context into the development of science-based and responsive agricultural solutions. It also highlights the value of participatory approaches in ensuring that technologies and recommendations are practical, relevant, and aligned with end-users’ needs.
Through this initiative, the DOST-CALABARZON SARAI Team continues to strengthen its collaboration with LGUs in co-developing data-driven and climate-resilient agricultural decision-support systems. The information gathered will be used to guide future capacity-building activities, including targeted training sessions to address identified gaps and challenges. These efforts support the effective rollout of SARAI technologies, enabling farmers to access timely advisories, improve crop monitoring, and make more informed decisions to enhance productivity and mitigate climate-related risks.
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The SARAI Centralized National Hub for Regional Operations (SARAI CeNTRO) is one of DOST’s innovative agricultural initiatives, funded by the agency and monitored by DOST-PCAARRD. SARAI CeNTRO is currently being deployed nationwide through the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) in partnership with the DOST Regional Offices. We are rolling into your region— ready to serve, support, and sow solutions.
