Vegetable seed breeder chairs Agrilink 2011

MANILA, Philippines - Willy Co of Allied Botanical Corp. (ABC), a leading supplier and local breeder of vegetable, fruit and flower seeds as well as hybrid rice, will be the chairman of the 18th AgriLink FoodLink and AquaLink — the Philippines’ premier integ-rated, international trade fair on agribusiness, food and aquaculture, to be held Oct. 6 to 8 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala has extended his welcome to Co as this year’s AgriLink chairman, citing Co’s expertise in localized breeding for tropical vegetable seeds and his numerous, successful field programs.

In cooperation with LGUs, Co had partnered with Alcala, then congressman for Quezon, in the ‘Aral Saka,’ aimed at helping farmers improve their farming technologies and create their own produce, which have enabled the Quezon province to produce all types of vegetables. These programs have since been replicated in farms like Isabela, Pangasinan, Cebu and even urban areas like Quezon City.

Co is also a multi-term Philippine Seed Industry Association president and the first and only Filipino president of the Asia and Pacific Seed Association.

ABC has set up localized breeding programs for vegetable, fruit, herb and flower seeds along with hybrid rice. ABC’s 23-hectare research facility conducts breeding, screening, testing and distribution of different crop seed varieties that have high yield, resistance to diseases and pests as well as improved adaptability to specific geographical and tropical conditions. These inputs enhance the farm’s sustainability, improve their income and provide healthier food for consumers.

This year’s theme, “Integration: Key to Sustainable Agriculture,” emphasizes the significance of a holistic, integrative approach—from production systems down to consumer households—towards a more efficient, productive, profitable and self-sufficient Philippine agriculture.

Foundation for Resource Lin-kage and Development (FRLD) president Antonio V. Roces ex-plains: “The integration of eco-friendly yet effective farm and post-production technologies, govern-ment inputs, comprehensive mar-keting strategies, efficient networ-king systems and other support services will empower farmers and stakeholders of small and large agribusinesses to better adapt to the needs of the time. Co-organizer for the event is Dulce Gozon of the National Onion Growers Coope-rative Marketing Association.