The growing global population, climate change impacts, and geopolitical conflicts have made food security and sustainable agricultural development a priority concern for every nation. In the search for solutions to this issue, the world is increasingly looking toward the emerging discipline of genomics.

This pioneering field of science is concerned with the study, understanding, and application of an organism’s genetic material, or genome. Enabled by cutting-edge technologies and breakthroughs in gene mapping and sequencing, genomics holds significant potential in areas such as medicine and healthcare, biodiversity conservation, and agricultural production.

Recognizing the potential of genomics, the University of the Philippines has entered into a collaborative initiative with the Republic of South Korea via the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Entitled “Capacity-Building for Higher Education and the Establishment of the Agricultural Genomics Research Center (AGRC) at the University of the Philippines Los Baños,” this transformative project intends to raise Philippine agricultural competitiveness, foster scientific and technological adaptation, and strengthen the relationship between the Philippines and South Korea.

Scheduled to run until 2026, the project has five main components, namely, 1) the establishment of the UPLB Agricultural Genomics Research Center, 2) procurement for R&D and office equipment, 3) development of UPLB-AGRC Mid-Term Operational Plan, 4) R&D capability enhancement activities, and 5) academic partnership strengthening activities.

Last July 14, a signing ceremony was held in UP Diliman and attended by UP President Angelo Jimenez, KOICA country director Eunsub Kim, UPLB Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr., UPLB Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension Nathaniel Bantayan, alongside representatives from IRRI and the Philippine Genome Center. The document signed during the ceremony outlined the respective responsibilities and commitments of the collaborating parties in order to bring the AGRC project to fruition.

As part of the project’s components, several UPLB faculty members and researchers are currently being hosted at Korean universities, undertaking training on genomics and bioinformatics involving several agricultural crops. This is under the KOICA PhD scholarship program, which caters to researchers from UPLB and partner state universities and colleges and cultivates advanced research skills, fostering critical thinking and improvement of analytical abilities on omics technologies towards promoting innovation and creativity.

The project’s latest landmark, a groundbreaking ceremony at the proposed site of the AGRC in UPLB, was held last December 6. UP and UPLB officials led by UP President Jimenez and UPLB Chancellor Camacho, alongside South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-Hwa, attended the ceremony and buried a time capsule at the location.

Once the UPLB Agricultural Genomics Research Center is established, it is expected to provide state-of-the-art facilities for genome-based research and other omics technologies that will strengthen UPLB’s agricultural research and extension efforts.