UPV, Trading Room, Inc. to collaborate for Ulva seaweed project

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The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), through the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences-Institute of Aquaculture (CFOS-IA), and Trading Room, Inc. signed on July 5 a collaborative research agreement (CRA) for the project “Development of Immunoactive and Growth Promoting AquaFeed Additive from Ulva Seaweed,” (UPV-DOST Ulva Seaweed CRADLE Project) at the UPV Fisheries Technology and Business Incubator building, Miagao campus.

UPV and Trading Room will jointly undertake the research and development (R&D) of the project under the Accelerated R&D Program for Capacity Building of Research and Development Institutions and Industrial Competitiveness: Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (CRADLE) Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Chancellor Clement Camposano and Trading Room Managing Director Christina Obias Roco signed the agreement on behalf of the two parties.

They were joined by Senior Science Research Specialist Fedelia Flor Mero of the DOST- Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD); Dr. Rex Ferdinand Traifalgar, CFOS-IA Director and UPV-DOST Ulva Seaweed CRADLE Project Leader; Dr. Reynold Tan, Director of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO); and Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension Harold Monteclaro.

The UPV-DOST Ulva Seaweed CRADLE Project was developed in response to the need of Trading Room, which is involved in the mass production and processing of Ulva meals in the local and export market.

The processed Ulva meal has been optimized as a feed additive for poultry and livestock. Meanwhile, the aquaculture sector is currently suffering from production constraints, which could be improved through the application of Ulva-based products for enhanced productivity.

The Ulva dried powder will be optimized to know the inclusion level in aquaculture feeds to promote enhanced growth and health of cultured tilapia, milkfish, and shrimp.

The proponent at UPV will employ similar techniques developed on the previously completed projects funded by the DOST-PCAARD.

Under the DOST’s CRADLE Program, the private sector industry identifies the problem and the R&D Institution in collaboration with the private sector industry undertakes the R&D to solve the problem. DOST provides the funds for this research collaboration activity. (Mr. Carlson B. Alelis, IPO with sources from TTBDO and UPV-DOST Ulva Seaweed CRADLE Project)