Small agribusiness firms need not be daunted by the high technology required for their expansion and growth toward global competitiveness.

Competent technology assistance is being provided by the Bureau of Agricultural Research under the National Technology Commercialization Program (NTCP), a policy initiative of Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban.

BAR implements the NTCP, which commercializes technologies that have been found usable and sustainable. These technologies are provided to private firms that are interested in turning them into business enterprises, according to the Foundation for Resource Linkage and Development (FRLD).

"With assistance being provided by BAR, agriculture and fisheries-related industries can acquire, adopt and utilize such technologies for commercial purposes," said FRLD president Antonio V. Roces.

"In fact, BAR is disseminating information on the latest commerciable research results that can help even individual farmers and fisherfolk," Roces added.

Similar assistance is being provided by the Aquaculture Department (AQD) of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), which has generated major technological breakthroughs in research and development, particularly on induced spawning of big head and silver carps, native catfish, tiger shrimps, and milkfish; farm production of sea bass, grouper, rabbit fish, and Nile tilapia; mariculture of window pane oysters and top shells; grow-out systems for abalone production; propagation of agar-producing seaweeds; and mud crab hatchery, among others.

SEAFDEC's aquaculture researchers, according to Roces, are among the most experienced in Southeast Asia.

"They work out solutions to aquaculture problems and publish their findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals," Roces said. "Their research findings are verified in commercial scale hatcheries and grow-out facilities in collaboration with the Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources."

The technologies are then disseminated through training courses and internships. Most of the lecturers and instructors are AQD's own researchers and aquaculturists.

The technology assistance from SEAFDEC and BAR can do a lot to widen and invigorate the country's agribusiness industry and help small enterprises to grow into major players and contribute to increased national productivity," Roces said.

To enable even small entrepreneurs to appreciate and make use of the various technologies now available, BAR and SEAFDEC are participating in this year's Agrilink, Foodlink and Aqualink, the country's biggest and most prestigious annual international trade shows on agribusiness, food and aquaculture.

They will join hundreds of local and foreign exhibitors in the show, which will be staged at the World Trade Center Metro Manila on October 5 to 7.

Swamped by thousands of visitors yearly, the show is co-organized by the FRLD (tel. 8384549, 8384852; fax 8384573, or email frld@pldtdsl.net) with some 20 national trade associations and supported by the DA, BFAR, and the National Agriculture and Fishery Council.