ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) recently turned over a P10-million Tissue Culture Laboratory to the Western Mindanao State University’s (WMSU’s) College of Agriculture that aims to produce disease-free planting materials and mass produce planting materials in the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9).

Agriculture Region 9 Executive Director Oscar O. Parawan Friday said the laboratory was turned over to the WMSU through Dr. Grace Rebollos for use at its College of Agriculture in San Ramon, this city.

Rebollos also accepted all projects that were turned over to the College of Agriculture which include the Agriculture Forestry and National Resources (AFNR) facilities on Coco Sugar Processing, Rubber Nursery Area and Training Room.

Barangay San Ramon is located some 20 kilometers west of the city proper, is an agriculture community and is home to the century-old San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm.

An acceptance message was delivered by Rebollos saying “push, food security, push, productivity.”

The farm, a self-sustaining agriculture colony established by the Spanish authorities in Mindanao is the second national penitentiary established outside Metro Manila in those days.

Parawan said that the project was funded by Senator Edgardo Angara, who appropriated P10 Million in 2007 to DA under the Zamboanga Integrated Area Development Program (ZIADP) for the construction of the Tissue Culture Laboratory at the WMSU-CA.

Parawan added that “the laboratory will eventually enhance and develop the capacity and capabilities in biotechnology in the region.”

Parawan also asked the agriculture sector to make food available and affordable to people in this city and the region in general.