Isabela State University (ISU) was officially launched as a Subnational Competence Center (SNCC) for Climate Information Services (CIS) in Agriculture and Fisheries on January 10, 2025 during a launching ceremony at the Climate Change Center at the ISU Echague Campus.
The ceremony is part of the “Towards a South-South Collaboration on Climate Information Services (SSCIS)” Project led by the German Development Cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit or GIZ) which aims to advance expertise in data management, including collecting, generating, and analyzing climate data as a core component of climate action.
With the launching of the center, the University is enabled to act as a central hub for consolidating expertise and resources related to climate information and services. The SNCC will provide government agencies, farmers, and fisherfolk with crucial climate data to address climate challenges effectively.
As part of this initiative, ISU, together with the University of the Philippines Los Baños Foundation, Inc. (UPLBFI) through the UPLB Interdisciplinary Studies on Integrated Natural Resources Management (UPLB-INREM) are implementing the “Modelling CIS Application in the Agriculture and Fisheries Sector Through Tripartite Collaborations in Region II, Northern Philippines” project. This project aims to develop a framework that enhances tripartite capacities and boosts the resilience of farming and fishing communities.
In his welcome message, Dr. Ricmar P. Aquino (University President) expressed that the establishment of the competence center is more than a celebration of partnerships but also a bold commitment to equipping the agriculture and fisheries sector with the tools, knowledge, and strategies to navigate the challenges posed by the changing climate.
“So as we launch this competence center, we reaffirm our commitment to sustainability, regional collaboration, and welfare of our communities. So together, we are sowing the seeds of a resilient future, one that would endure generations to come,” Dr. Aquino added.
Dr. Nicole Kranz (SSCIS, Coordinator and Advisor, GIZ) also addressed the attendees by expressing the importance of transitioning from being a victim of climate change to being proactive to deal with it. According to her, the launch of the competence center at ISU is one of the key components and key milestones in developing simple and understandable climate information services that can be used by a wide range of stakeholders.
“For all their support in establishing the center, for their support for our project, and really also encouraging all of us to make this is a success. What we make of it will be decisive in turning this into a success,” Dr. Kranz added as she appreciated the partners of GIZ.
During the duration of the ceremony, different topics were also covered and discussed such as the project’s benefits to collaborations among SUCs, SEAs, and LGUs in the region, and the 5-year Climate Change Research and Development and Extension Agenda for 2024-2030.
