The Cagayan Valley Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (CVAARRD), an R&D Consortium under the leadership of Isabela State University (ISU), is now in the Hall of Fame of the Ugnay Award presented by the DOST – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) after being awarded The Most Outstanding Regional R&D Consortium for the third consecutive awarding period (2018-2019, 2020-2021, 2022-2023).

The Ugnay Award is a distinction awarded to a regional consortium in recognition of its credibility and strong partnership with DOST-PCAARRD in promoting research, development, and science and technology innovations.

CVAARRD has long been given the distinction as the first Ugnay Hall of Fame Awardee in the country, given its successive monumental achievements in R&D focusing on the niche areas of the agri-fisheries sector with ISU as the host agency.

As part of the recognition efforts towards consortia as partners of DOST-PCAARRD in meeting regional R&D and technology needs, the Council has been recognizing outstanding consortia since 1995.

The Ugnay Award is based on the consortium’s ability to develop and execute policies, strategies, and initiatives that embody the principles of integration, collaboration, resource sharing, and networking. It also seeks to incentivize consortia to elevate their efforts, accelerating the achievement of both regional and national R&D goals in the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector.

Moreover, a regional consortium that secures first place in the Ugnay Award three times (not necessarily consecutively) starting from 2020 will be honored with the Hall of Fame Award, which includes a cash grant of 3 million pesos and a trophy.