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Six delegates from the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) brought the university’s research and development (R&D) expertise to the “Collaborative Problem-Solving for Industry Challenges” workshop held on September 23–25, 2026, at the Acacia Hotel in Davao City.
The USM delegation included Bernadith T. Borja of the Philippine Industrial Crops Research Institute (PICRI), Lorelyn Joy N. Turnos-Milagrosa of the College of Agriculture (CA), Joellee L. Aguirre of the Cacao RDE Center, Dr. Analyn A. Gonzales of the College of Business, Development Economics and Management(CBDEM), Jayson S. Baltazar of the USM Agricultural Research and Development Center (USMARDC), and Alvin John R. Villanueva of the College of Engineering and Information Technology (CEIT).
The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), through its Research Development and Innovation Division (RDID), organized the three-day workshop to bring together regional stakeholders and identify industry challenges that can be addressed through collaborative R&D. Participants from MAFAR, MTIT, DA-11, Mindanao State University–Maguindanao, and the Coconut, Cacao, and Coffee Industry Councils also joined the workshop.
The workshop followed a three-phase research co-design process. Participants first mapped commodity value chains and examined root causes of challenges in BARMM’s coffee, cacao, and coconut sectors. They then assessed existing interventions, identified R&D gaps, and prioritized key challenges. On the final day, co-design teams developed research concept notes and budgets, which underwent peer, technical, and panel reviews for possible fast-track funding through the RDID Tracker.
Through the technical working groups, the USM delegates contributed to research concept notes focused on technological innovation, postharvest optimization, and sustainable value addition in Mindanao’s agricultural sector.
