The Committee on Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization (CAFMech) Task Force on the Identification and Prioritization of Philippine National Standards (PNS)/Philippine Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Standards (PABES) for Development, Review and Revision convened on May 2, 2022 to discuss various proposals on the development and amendment of PNS for agri-fisheries machinery and equipment.
The Task Force also discussed the Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center (AMTEC) methods of test for agri-fisheries machinery and equipment, updates from the Review Committee for the Establishment of the National List of PNS/PABES, and the initiatives on Philippine Coconut Mechanization.
The Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS) also presented the final draft of the PNS for Knapsack Sprayer and the PNS on the Technical Means for Ensuring Safety on the use of agri-fisheries machinery/equipment. The Task Force then agreed to recommend the said standards to the Department of Agriculture Secretary for approval.
The Task Force also recommended to BAFS and the Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center the development of PNS on rotary composter. It was likewise recommended to BAFS to prioritize the development of PNS for sugarcane presser and the amendment of PNS for power sprayer for mango.
To assist the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in achieving commercialization, the Task Force recommended that the Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development and DA-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization provide technical and financial assistance.
In the previous meetings of the Committee’s Technical Working Groups for development/amendment of PNS for agri-fishery machinery, one of the recurring remarks is the inclusion of a minimum set of standard tools for the maintenance and operation of agri-fisheries machinery/equipment, which will be provided by the supplier.
The Task Force agreed to recommend to the agency, through its Zamboanga Research Center, to fast-track the commercialization of the said prototypes developed for subsequent testing and standards development.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries’ (PCAF) proposed courses of action for the development of the minimum set of standard tools for maintenance and operation of agri-fishery machinery and equipment.
The report said that the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering has already started gathering data on the list of tools for maintenance and operation per machinery during its After-sales Service Compliance Monitoring. The said data can be used to develop the said list of standard tools.
The Task Force also recognized the importance of designating an agency or office to spearhead the development of the list.
It was then agreed that there should be a collaboration between PCAF and other concerned government agencies and private sector organizations to draft and take charge of development of the minimum set of tools per agri-fisheries machinery/equipment. It was assured that this topic will still be part of the agenda in the succeeding meetings of the Task Force. | JC
