Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS, President Shin Gi-deok) announced that it held the 1st Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting on July 24, 2025 (local time). This meeting was conducted as part of the "Project for Strengthening the Value Chain of High-Value Crops Using Smart Agriculture in Western Visayas, Philippines (2023-2027 / $8 million)," a grant aid initiative supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA, Chairman Chang Won-sam).

The project, funded by an $8 million grant from KOICA, is being implemented over six years from 2023 to 2027. Its primary goal is to strengthen the competitiveness of the high-value crop value chain in the Western Visayas region by introducing and expanding smart agriculture technologies and establishing sustainable production models.

The meeting was co-chaired by Ms. Jung Young-sun, Country Director of the KOICA Philippines Office, and Ms. Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero, Undersecretary for the High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) of the Philippines. Key stakeholders from both nations attended, including Mr. Dennis R. Arpia, Regional Executive Director of DA-RFO6 (Western Visayas), and Mr. Yoon Hae-jin, Project Manager (PM) representing the tripartite PMC Consortium (Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS), Kyung Nong Co., Ltd., and Agrosolution Korea Co., Ltd.).

During the session, in-depth discussions focused on: ▲ the overall project implementation strategy; ▲ the status of smart greenhouse construction; ▲ results of the baseline survey; ▲ plans for the invitational training program in Korea; and ▲ alignment strategies with the agricultural policies of the Philippines.

Ms. Jung Young-sun, Country Director of KOICA Philippines, remarked, “This project is significant in that it goes beyond simple infrastructure development to build a sustainable development model through technology transfer and capacity building.” She added, “We will support enhancing the competitiveness of the entire agricultural value chain to increase farm productivity, stabilize food prices, and contribute to securing food security through smart agriculture.”

Undersecretary Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero emphasized that “the PSC is a core body that coordinates the pace and direction of the project.” She noted, “The success of this project will serve as a crucial milestone in the digitalization of Philippine agriculture, strengthening climate resilience, and enhancing market responsiveness.”

In his presentation, Mr. Yoon Hae-jin, the Project Manager, stated, “This project is being driven by a ‘SMART’ strategy centered on core values: Sustainability, Marketability, Adaptability, Resilience, and Technology.” He further outlined a vision to “establish a sustainable development model that strengthens the overall capacity of the agricultural value chain and competitiveness in the Western Visayas, based on the leadership of DA-KOICA, public-private partnerships, and accountability through clear Roles and Responsibilities (R&R).”

Through this meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining a close cooperation framework, expanding the active participation of local farmers, and creating long-term, tangible results through continuous monitoring and capacity building. Moving forward, activities such as on-site education, technology transfer training, and monitoring will be launched in earnest.

Link : https://www.nbntv.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=4006067