By AIT Public Affairs
On 25 February 2025, H.E. Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr., the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines, visited the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) with a high-level delegation. The visit focused on understanding Thailand’s agricultural practices and enhancing collaboration between the two countries to support agricultural development. The delegation met with AIT President Prof. Pai Chi-Li and key officials and explored greenhouse and laboratory facilities at the School of Environment Resources and Development (SERD) of AIT.
The delegation was welcomed by Prof. P. Abdul Salam, Dean of SERD, along with Prof. Avishek Datta, Head of Department of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources (FANR) and Dr. Sushil Kumar Himanshu, Assistant Professor of FANR/SERD. They, together with Filipino students from the FANR department demonstrated AIT’s advanced research in smart and precision agriculture. The visit included a tour of the Smart Greenhouse and Agricultural Systems and Engineering (ASE) Digital Lab, where the delegation reviewed models and operations that could improve agricultural productivity in the Philippines, showing the potential for future cooperation.
After the lab tours, the delegation had a productive discussion with President. Li and AIT officials. The meeting focused on strategies for future partnerships aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural practices between Thailand and the Philippines.
H.E. Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. shared his positive impressions, stating, “This visit has broadened our perspective on agricultural development. AIT’s agricultural initiatives are impressive and align well with our needs in the Philippines. We are eager to adopt some of these best practices to modernize our agriculture.”
President Li welcomed the opportunity for collaboration, remarking, “We are committed to modernizing agriculture and enhancing fishery production, which aligns perfectly with AIT’s current initiatives. We look forward to collaborating on smart agriculture, food safety, security, and resilience to climate change.”
During the meeting, delegates explored collaborative opportunities in modernizing agriculture and addressing climate challenges. They focused on integrating AI and IoT technologies into agricultural practices to enhance food safety and climate resilience. AIT presented its research and programs in smart agriculture, renewable energy, and agricultural logistics. The discussions also covered scholarship opportunities, capacity-building training, and potential research collaborations aimed at improving agricultural practices in the Philippines. Practical, cost-effective farming techniques, suitable for short courses and encompassing disaster preparedness, food processing, smart farming, greenhouse farming, and aquaculture, were emphasized during the discussions.
The visit concluded with an agreement to continue discussions and develop concrete plans, reaffirming the shared commitment to advancing agricultural development and education.
Attendees from the Department of Agriculture, Philippines and Philippine Embassy in Thailand included Engr. Roger V. Navarro Undersecretary for Operations and Agri- Fisheries Mechanization; Mr. Allan Q. Umali Undersecretary for Administration; Ms. Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero Undersecretary for High Value Crops; Atty. Genevieve E. Velicaria-Guevarra Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs and Department Legislative Liason Officer (DLLO), Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing, and Consumer Affairs; Mr. Daniel Alfonso N. Atayde Assistant Secretary for Logistics; Mr. Joseph Rudolph C. Lo President and CEO of the Food Terminal, Inc.; Engr. Maria Christine G. Inting Deputy Program Director, National Corn Program; Ms. Annalyn L. Lopez Agriculture Attaché for Southeast Asia; Miguel Joshua G. Aguirre Executive Assistant, Office of the Secretary; and Ms. Parichat V. Manait Assistant to the Agriculture.
AIT officials Prof. Sangam Shrestha, Dean SET and Co-Director of GWSC; Prof. Abdul Salam, Dean SERD; Mr. Voravate Chonlasin, Executive Director, AIT Extension; Mr. Shawn Kelly, Executive Director, OIPA; Ms. Izel Ann Mojado Dante, Director, Office of Academic Administration; Dr. Sumana Shrestha, Director, International Affairs, OIPA; Ms. Maybel Belonio Diopenes, Director, Office of Human Resources Services; Mr. Sanjeet Amatya, Director, Public Affairs, OIPA and Ms. Indra Kumari, Senior Program Officer, International Affairs, OIPA also attended the meeting.
