Mark Christian Bermejo and Vanessa Mae Escaño of the Training Division at the NFRDI’s booth exhibit during the 57th BIOTA National Convention and Scientific Sessions” held on April 27-29, 2023 in Imus, Cavite.

The Department of Agriculture-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI) participated in the “57th BIOTA National Convention and Scientific Sessions” through a booth exhibit showcasing its technology projects and knowledge products on April 27-29, 2023 in De La Salle Zobel Vermosa Campus, Imus, Cavite.

Organized by the Biology Teachers Association (BIOTA) of the Philippines, Inc., the convention aimed to provide an opportunity to network and discuss biology education and research among students, educators, and researchers.

As one of BIOTA’s partners, NFRDI showcased six technologies generated from its research and development initiatives. These included 1) Freshwater ornamental fish breeding and production,

2) Maliputo breeding and seed production, 3) Utilization of shrimp head waste into powder form as raw material for value-added products, 4) Enhanced mudfish (Channa striata) production using induced spawning hormones, 5) Fisheries Vulnerability Assessment Tool (Fish Vool), and 6) Cost-effective feeds for milkfish and tilapia.

NFRDI also handed out knowledge products to the convention participants including several issues of The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, FISEARCH, training modules and manuals on sandfish processing, and vulnerability assessment.

Most of the recipients were teachers and professors from a wide range of schools and universities who collect materials for their libraries and information centers. NFRDI also entertained questions and inquiries about the projects conducted and services offered at the Institute.

With the theme “Working with the Human Mind: The Neurobiology of Teaching and Learning,” the three-day event highlighted plenary sessions, poster and commercial exhibits, and BIOadvenTOURS, wherein capacity on robotics, water quality assessment, fish morphology, tissue culture techniques, and floral formula.

The event was just one of the first partnerships that transpired after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NFRDI and BIOTA for research collaborations and exchange of expertise on January 19, 2023. ### (Vanessa Mae Escaño)