UPLB Research and Extension News

Multi-crop pneumatic seeder with fertilizer applicator. Corn milling system. Cylindrical soil sterilizing chamber. Windmill for irrigation. Multi-crop washer. Jatropha oil expeller. Jatropha post-production machinery. Rice hull/corn cob furnace.

These are just some of the new technologies developed by UPLB engineers to mechanize agricultural production and further the development of the biofuel industry; and presented during a symposium held by the Agricultural Mechanization Development Program (AMDP) last June 29, 2009.

“We conducted the symposium to expose our technologies to farmers, students, and even our colleagues in the university,” according to Engr. Mario Bueno of the AMDP.  Aside from this, the activity also served as venue for stakeholders to assess the potential of the various technologies.

Based at UPLB's College of Engineering and Agro-industrial Technology, AMDP has developed and promoted technology packages for various commodities such as corn, vegetables, coconut, and cassava. The program has also come up with technologies for farm power, irrigation and waste processing.

During the symposium, more than a dozen researchers presented the results of their studies aimed at mechanizing corn and high value commercial crops production. Machinery for renewable energy production, particularly for Jatropha, were also discussed.

Engr. Ronel Pangan, also of the AMDP,  shared that “interested farmers can avail of high-quality and efficient farm machinery from our accredited manufacturers, who get the designs and specifications from the program.”

“This way,” he concluded, “we hope to hasten the delivery of the technologies to farmers.”