The Department of Science and Technology is implementing programs and projects that will assist the manufacturing industry adapt to the new normal and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) or Industry 4.0.
Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara, DOST Undersecretary for R&D (research and development), said the smart food value chain program works to ensure that local food self-sufficiency can thrive in the new normal due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“(If) the Covid-19 will become endemic, we need to have smart food value chains in order to survive,” she said.
Guevara cited several projects under the program, including the leveling-up of Quezon’s bagsakan center agri-processing facilities through the adoption of the smart food value chain framework, and mobile modular food processing facility.
Guevara said the department’s Development of Multiple Materials Platform for Additive Manufacturing, or Matdev project, has been conducting various efforts to address Covid-19 pandemic.
As the country moves towards Industry 4.0, Guevara said the DOST is producing several emerging technologies, such as the non-intrusive sensor-based prescriptive maintenance platform for wire manufacturing factory.
Guevara said the country is also moving towards Agriculture 4.0 where farmers are transitioning to smart farming.
To increase agricultural productivity, Guevara said the department also supports the development of automation including those for furrow irrigation systems, smarter greenhouse, and hand tractors.
She said there are also automated combined mechanical demucilager-fermenter-dryer for cacao, a programmable dehydrator machine for herbal tea materials which improves the post-harvest processing, and the balut vending machine which enables distribution of balut in non-traditional market areas such as malls, hotels, and airports, among others. – Press release
April 26, 2024
