CONIAF delegation visits the University of Puerto Rico

CONIAF delegation visits the University of Puerto Rico
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 10/21/2013

Deserving young Dominicans were welcomed into the Master’s degree and PhD programs, in order for the country to have professionals capable of taking over and successfully facing the current and future challenges in the agricultural sector.

The Generational Succession Program of the National Agriculture and Forestry Research System has selected eight (8) young professionals who will be pursuing masters and doctoral programs at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez, under the partnership and exchange agreement that will be implemented according to the provisions of the joint Declaration between the Dominican Republic and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which, in the EDUCATIONAL section, refers to raising the level of Dominican professionals to facilitate their access to knowledge.

In order to promote scientific exchange between the University of Puerto Rico and the National Agriculture and Forestry Research System (SINIAF – Sistema Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales), a delegation headed by the Executive Director of the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Council (CONIAF – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales), Engineer Juan Modesto Chávez, traveled to the island of Puerto Rico at the invitation of the authorities and the faculty of the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez, who have agreed to host in their research programs the candidates that CONIAF will present to conduct their studies in the priority areas that have been selected by the local universities that are part of SINIAF and of CONIAF.

The Generational Succession Program of the National Agriculture and Forestry Research System has selected eight (8) young professionals who will be pursuing masters and doctoral programs at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez, under the partnership and exchange agreement that will be implemented according to the provisions of the joint Declaration between the Dominican Republic and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which, in the EDUCATIONAL section, refers to raising the level of Dominican professionals to facilitate their access to knowledge.

The Director of CONIAF noted that the delegation also visited the experimental laboratories of the university to establish a connection with the research projects in which the eight master’s and doctoral candidates will be working.

He said that the Dominican delegation showed great interest in the research programs on animal production, particularly on the meat production aspect (very important works are being conducted with the Sénepol breed, reaching up to 1,000 pounds of weight at the age of slaughter at 18 months), as well as with the Pelón breed of dairy cattle, for which they have amazing statistics showing that they are being highly valued in the United States. Their primary focus is very similar to the Program on Native Dominican Dairy Cattle, which is being developed at the Center for Research and Improvement of Animal Production (CIMPA – Centro de Investigación y Mejoramiento de la Producción Animal) with funding from CONIAF.

Juan Chávez said that the visit also served to promote, motivate and reactivate joint research work between the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez and the National Agriculture and Forestry Research System. He also stated that the faculty at the University of Puerto Rico will participate together with the local universities sponsoring the candidates in presenting research proposals to local and international research calls.

He said that the CONIAF, the institution he heads, has signed agreements with the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and work agreements with universities in Germany, Gottingen, Hohenheim and Boom University, Nevada, the University of Puerto Rico, the University of the West Indies, and finally with numerous universities in Mexico through IICA – CONECYT.

The National Agriculture and Forestry Research System (SINIAF), was established by Law 251-12, with the purpose of developing national skills in science, technology and innovation in the Agriculture and Forestry Sector, seeking to achieve economic development based on sustainability, competitiveness, equity, and food security, through joint efforts and the coordination of activities of all institutions and organizations working in the production of knowledge and technologies in that sector.