Written by Web Team
The Department of Agriculture (DA) designated Ruben B. Miranda, deputy director for development (DED) of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), as the Institute’s officer-in-charge following the reassignment of its chief to DA last week of March.
Miranda, who has been with the country`s lead agency on rice research and development for 20 years, served as DED in 2009. He also led the implementation of the Location-Specific Technology Development Program, the Institute`s banner program, which aims to help the country attain and sustain rice self-sufficiency by 2013 through the development of technologies suited to specific farming conditions.
Specializing on rice integrated management, rural development, and extension, Miranda has shared his expertise to ASEAN countries such as Japan and Cambodia. In Cambodia, he was given a Medal Sahametrei order “de Chevalier,” the country’s second highest award for outstanding contribution in rural development.
In 2008, his project, Partnerhip in Agriculutural and Rural Transformation, a community development approach in improving farmers` lives, and now full-fledged Farmers` Cooperatives in Nueva Ecija and Negros Occidental, won the Best Paper and Poster awards given by the Crop Science Society of the Philippines.
PhilRice also recognized his initiatives in helping farmers improve their farm practices to improve yield by bestowing the Outstanding Development Specialist in 1994 and Outstanding Public Official in 2007 awards.
Meanwhile, Atty. Ronilo A. Beronio was re-assigned special assistant for property concerns at DA`s central office.
