PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 24 June) — Agusan del Sur inaugurated a ₱550-million state-of-the-art soils laboratory on Tuesday to boost agricultural productivity in the province. The facility, fully funded by the provincial government, is located beside the Provincial Agriculture Office within the capitol complex.
Australian Ambassador Hae Kyung Yu, who attended the event, emphasized that the biogeochemistry research laboratory meets both national and Australian standards, with plans for international accreditation. She highlighted collaboration with the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), which will provide training and expertise to the laboratory’s scientists.
The groundbreaking ceremony was officiated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on February 16 last year. ACIAR has committed to supporting the lab through capacity-building initiatives.
Governor Santiago Cane Jr. expressed pride in the project, stating that the Provincial Research Development Innovation Office (PRDIO) Research Laboratory turns research on farmlands into an achievable reality. The facility features advanced analytical capabilities for soil, plant, water, fertilizer, and gas testing, processing 50–100 samples daily with results in two to three days.
The lab aims to enhance yields for farmers, particularly those in the Upland Sustainable Agroforestry Development (USAD) program, championed by Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza. It will provide science-backed soil data to guide crop selection and fertilizer use, potentially increasing yields by 50% and reducing costs by 25%.
Plaza criticized the Department of Agriculture’s regional labs for outdated equipment and advocated for data-driven soil management. Agriculture Undersecretary Roger V. Navarro praised the facility as a model for climate-resilient, data-driven farming nationwide. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)
