SLSU-Bontoc welcomes Belgian collaborator for project monitoring and evaluation
It was in 2022 when SLSU-Bontoc, a Provincial Institute of Fisheries in Southern Leyte, embarked on a project “Interventions for Sustainable Development of Aquafeeds (ISDA) in Southern Leyte” jointly implemented by the Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center (ARC) of the Faculty of Bioscienceengineering, Ghent University Belgium, with funding support from the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR-UOS). This multi-collaborated project “ISDA” looks into the utilization of agro-waste as novel ingredients in aquafeed development, enabling small-scale fish farmers in producing farmed fish that is competitively-priced compared with terrestrial proteins.
Since its implementation, the project has achieved significant milestones, few to mention, the visit of Belgian Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Michel Parys that paved way in furthering research and academic partnerships between universities in the South and other Belgian universities; the construction of small-scale aquafeed laboratory and feeding trial room for small-scale feeding trial; survey on various agri-industries within Eastern Visayas and subsequent collection of agri-waste samples.
As the project enters its 2nd year of implementation, collaborators from the North headed by the Prof. Dr. ir. Peter Bossier, former ARC Director and the assigned project promoter, visited SLSU on Jan 5-11, 2024, for on-site project monitoring. The visit commenced with an excursion to BFAR-7 Central Visayas Multi-Species Hatchery located at Brgy. Sinandigan, Ubay, Bohol on Jan 6, 2024. Here, the team learned of the various strategies in delivering supplemental livelihood among fisherfolks and engaged in productive discussion with experts in order to gain insights into industry trends and challenges. On Jan 9, 2024, a courtesy conference was organized, attended by SLSU Key Officials along with representatives from the municipality of Sogod, Southern Leyte. The conference served an important reminder on collaborators’ roles and vowed to collectively work towards greater impacts in Southern Leyte. A research seminar tackling current research engagements conducted by ARC and partner institutions were also organized for undergraduate students taking up BS in Marine Biology. Exciting talks on scholarship uptake also surfaced. A guided exploration to potential “ISDA” beneficiaries from different communities in Bontoc and Sogod, Southern Leyte, organized on Jan 10, 2024 was the the main highlight of the visit.
