Gov. Alfredo Marañon, Jr. and University of the Philippines president Alfredo Pascual will lead the ground-breaking for the P6 million Tissue Culture Laboratory of Negros Occidental at the UPLB-College of Agriculture-Research and Training Station in La Granja, La Carlota City today.

The project aims to collect and establish varieties of high valued crops that are free from diseases, resilient to climate change, and readily available to the farmers. Marlin Sanogal, provincial planning and development officer, said.

She said the tissue culture will be used to develop and grow specific varieties of crops that will help the agriculture production of the province at the same time providing quality materials for the local farmers.

Aside from farmers, backyard and urban gardeners, hobbyists, and agriculture students will also benefit the project including the local government units, neighboring provinces, and agriculture schools, she added.

The P3 million was the reward from the Department of Interior and Local Government where the province was the recipient of the Pamana ng Lahi Award, an award for excellence in local governance, while the other P3 million is the counterpart of the province, Sanogal said.

The project is part of the Sustainable Agri-Livestock Technology-Training and Extension Program in collaboration with ULPB, UPLB Alumni Foundation in Negros Occidental.

The Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Dr. Enrique Tolentino and UPLB College of Agriculture Dean, Dr. Domingo Angeles will be attend the ground-breaking. *LTG

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