The DA-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM) highlighted the importance of sustainable soil management (SSM) in strengthening disaster-resilient sugarcane systems during the Symposium on the Outcomes of Five Years of Japan–Philippines Collaborative Research, on December 1, 2025, in Sugarland Hotel, Bacolod City.
With the theme “Balancing Productivity and Environmental Sustainability: Towards Disaster-Resilient Sugarcane Systems through Integrated Ridge-to-Reef Approaches,” the symposium presented the outcomes of five years of collaborative research implemented by the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) in partnership with Philippine institutions, including DA-BSWM. The activity brought together stakeholders from government agencies, research institutions, academe, and the private sector.
The program opened with welcome remarks from Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona and a message from DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. delivered by DA-Negros Island Region (NIR) Regional Executive Director (RED) Engr. Albert Barrogo. An overview of the collaborative research initiative was presented by Dr. Hayashi Keiichi, Program Director of JIRCAS, providing context for the research achievements shared during the symposium. His Excellency ENDO Kazuya, the new diplomatic head of the mission of Japan to the Philippines, served as the keynote speaker and emphasized the need to further strengthen technical cooperation and research collaboration between Japan and the Philippines.
DA-BSWM representative Dr. Karen S. Bautista, Chief Science Research Specialist of the Soil and Water Resources Research Division (SWRRD), presented the recarbonization of soils and adaptive balanced fertilization strategies as core components of sustainable soil management, highlighting their contribution to improved soil health, enhanced productivity, and increased resilience of sugarcane production systems to climate-related and disaster risks.
The symposium also featured JIRCAS-led technical presentations on ridge-to-reef research outcomes, bioprocess design using sugarcane-derived residues, mechanization, and climate-smart technologies. A general discussion among experts from DA-BSWM, JIRCAS, SRA, the University of Tokyo, and the private sector further strengthened science-based dialogue and institutional collaboration.
Field-oriented activities complemented the technical sessions, including the display of sugarcane-related machinery and on-farm demonstrations for farmers, sugar mill stakeholders, and government officials, highlighting the importance of translating research outputs into field-level applications.
DA-BSWM reaffirmed its commitment to continued collaboration with JIRCAS and other national and international partners in advancing sustainable soil management and climate-resilient agriculture in support of the country’s sugarcane industry.
