Agricultural Machinery Design & Prototyping Center unveiled in N. Ecija

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel Jr., South Korean and other officials lead the inauguration of the Agricultural Machinery Design and Prototyping Center in Nueva Ecija on Thursday. (Photo from the Dept, of Agriculture)

 MANILA, Philippines — The country’s first Agricultural Machinery Design and Prototyping Center (AMDPC) was unveiled in Nueva Ecija on Thursday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Friday. 

Through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PhilMech) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the DA said 2,000-square meter facility located at PhilMech in the Science City of Munoz.

The P370.545 million AMDPC was funded in part by KOICA (P289 million) while the rest was covered by the Philippine government.
The DA said that the facility is also supported by the Korea Institute for Development Strategy and the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative.

“This multi-million US dollar state-of-the-art facility can revolutionize the way we see agricultural machinery production today,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel Jr. during the inauguration.

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“With modern fabrication equipment and top engineering design and simulation software, what more can we not do, what more efficient machines can we not produce?” he added.

The DA said the AMDPC used modern and advanced prototyping equipment to demonstrate and promote innovative technology that has achieved commercial viability and user acceptance.

By enhancing PhilMech’s capability to design, develop, and manufacture agricultural machinery and prototypes, the DA said that the facility is important in accelerating the country’s mechanization.

AMDPC also seeks to provide farmers with affordable and locally manufactured machinery, the agency added. With the facility, modern technology is utilized to boost agricultural production and income.

Meanwhile, Laurel stressed that AMDPC is an avenue for local manufacturers, agricultural engineers, and researchers from various research and development institutions and state colleges and universities to transform their ideas and creativity into “problem-oriented and highly relevant” agricultural machines, technology, and equipment.

“I can imagine this center as the realization of ideas and a birthing place of solutions to improve the way we farm or fish today through the machines that can be improved and produced in this facility,” he said.

Laurel likewise thanked the Republic of Korea, through KOICA, for its generosity in sharing knowledge, skills, and resources with the Philippines.

The DA said the facility is further expected to enhance the institutional networking between the Korean government and DA research agencies.

Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Philippines Lee Sang-Hwa, KOICA Vice President Lee Yun-Young, and Nueva Ecija Governor Aurelio Umali, among others, were also present at AMDPC’s inauguration, the DA said.