The ground-breaking ceremony for the Isabela State University—Department of Agriculture—Bureau of Agricultural Research (ISU-DA-BAR) Climate Change Research and Development (R & D) Support Facility was held on February 21, 2018 led by Dr. Nicomedes P. Eleazar, Director of DA-BAR, Dr. Ricmar P. Aquino, University President, including DA-BAR and University Officials.

The project costs P8.5 million and DA-BAR granted a fund of P6 million. ISU, as counterpart, will suffice the remaining P2.5 million.

The said facility generally aims at promoting capability building activities among stakeholders in the R&D sector relating to agricultural industry in the Cagayan Valley region.

In a program proposal of Dr. William C. Medrano, Vice President for Research and Development and Extension and Training (VP-RDET), the construction of the said facility will result to a top-of-a-line training facility that will be used for capability building among R&D personnel, extensionists, LGU partners, farmers, and fisherfolks in Region 02. “The facility will serve as the venue for convergence among instruction, research, extension, and production,” Dr. Medrano said during the ground-breaking ceremony held at the Climate Change Center. “This project symbolizes our strong ties with DA-BAR,” he added.

Dr. Ricmar P. Aquino said the University aims for excellence not only in instruction but also in research. “We aim for a research University,” Dr. Aquino added. He also challenged all researchers, including the RDET, to come up with an instrument which will assess the impact of all projects funded in the University. “This serves as our counterpart to DA-BAR,” said Dr. Aquino.

In a message of Dr. Eleazar, he commended ISU for packaging the project in support to Climate Change R&D activities in Region 02. “I see this momentous endeavor as one of our continuous effort to address Climate Change concern in our country,” he said. Dr. Eleazar also appreciated the commitment of the pool of researchers in the University. As the host of major calamities, Dr. Eleazar also said the establishment of the support facility is appropriate in the province, especially in ISU-Echague.

The construction of the facility is expected to start this year.