The National Food Authority (NFA) has secured PHP184.2-million project funding for grain testing upgrades, with backing from the Japanese government, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Monday.
Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will provide a grant of PHP124.4 million, while the Philippine government will shoulder PHP59.8 million in counterpart funding.
In a statement, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the initiative will help enhance the NFA’s testing capabilities and advance the country’s food security.
“Food security is not measured only by how much rice or corn we produce, but also by how well we preserve its quality from harvest to market,” he said.
The three-year project is seen to modernize the NFA’s institutional capacity in grains postharvest processing through an enhanced Product Quality Evaluation System (PQuEST).
“By modernizing the NFA’s laboratories and adopting science-based testing systems, we are equipping the agency with better tools to protect grain quality, support sound policymaking, and enhance the competitiveness of our agriculture sector,” Tiu Laurel said.
In particular, the program will upgrade laboratory facilities at the NFA Central Office and regional laboratories in Cagayan Valley, Western Visayas, and the Davao Region.
New testing instruments will also be provided alongside the overhauling of the current grain quality assessment protocols.
The project will also cover new testing standards and operating manuals for 22 laboratory equipment units.
Tiu Laurel, meanwhile, expressed his delight over Tokyo’s support.
“This project goes beyond modern equipment. It strengthens our technical capability, promotes knowledge transfer, and helps build a more resilient and efficient grain management system that will benefit Filipino farmers and consumers,” he said.
In terms of workforce development, technical personnel will undergo local and overseas training.
These will include specialized courses in Japan focused on rice quality assessment and in Thailand for corn testing technologies.
Knowledge gained from the training programs will be cascaded to branch offices nationwide for a standardized grain quality evaluation.
The program implementation, meanwhile, is set from 2026 to 2028 pending Executive Committee approval. (PNA)
