The meeting was convened to officially introduce the project rationale, benefits, and future expectations of Project SARAI Regional Hubs to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region III and the Provincial Science and Technology Offices (PSTOs). It also aimed to emphasize the importance of the PSTOs in coordinating, facilitating, and endorsing potential Local Government Units (LGUs) that may benefit from the project.

Engr. Baltazar began the session by presenting an overview of the SARAI CeNTRO's SARAI Regional Hub in Central Luzon. His presentation outlined the program's rationale, the institution's role, implementation strategies, partner selection guidelines, and the technology packages included in the project. This set the stage for understanding how the initiative would be rolled out in the region.

Following this, Engr. Bosi presented a detailed implementation strategy of the SARAI Regional Hub in Central Luzon. He discussed partner State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and the prospective target municipalities based on their agricultural commodities. The discussion included a breakdown of the line-item budget, allocation for each component, and deliverables such as the SARAI Digital Platform, Crop Advisories, Reports, Suitability Maps, and Agricultural Models. He also explained the expected benefits for the LGUs and outlined their responsibilities in the partnership.

During the open forum, PD Karen Danez sought clarification on the inclusion of specific crops, such as sweet potato, in the project’s priority list. Engr. Baltazar clarified that while not all crops are priorities, the project can accommodate those with significant economic and agricultural value. PD Danez also suggested coordination with Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU) to utilize datasets from Project NICER, which the team acknowledged. PD Catalina Cruz raised the possibility of including aquaculture commodities in the project scope. In response, Engr. Bosi noted that Project SARAI has resources that support aquaculture applications and emphasized the need for coordination with the central hub to incorporate such aspects.

PD Michelle Quiambao, referencing the previous SARAI implementation at Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU), inquired about the project's roadmap and its potential for scale-up to the national level. Director Sicat responded with insights into the capabilities and broader impact of SARAI technologies, stressing that their success depends heavily on effective execution. PD Quiambao is also committed to connecting the team with PAG-ASA for access to their AWS devices, thereby enhancing data generation and accessibility. Additionally, PD Danez requested a hands-on SARAI technology training for PSTOs, to which the team committed to developing a training session that would cater to these needs.

Moving forward, Engr. Cruz emphasized the crucial role of PSTOs in ensuring the project's sustainability. She emphasized the importance of selecting LGUs not only based on production data but also on their willingness to share in the responsibilities. PSTOs were tasked with recommending LGU beneficiaries for the first year of implementation. It was agreed that each province would assign a SARAI focal person to facilitate smoother coordination between the regional hub and the LGUs. The group also discussed the potential reuse of equipment from previous SARAI projects and the integration of SARAI technologies into current PSTO initiatives.

PD Quiambao proposed showcasing Project SARAI during the Regional Science and Technology Week, highlighting its integration of AI technology. Engr. Baltazar confirmed that SARAI would be featured in the exhibit, alongside other smart farming innovations developed within the region.

To conclude the session, DOST III Regional Director Dr. Julius Ceasar V. Sicat delivered his closing remarks. He expressed expectations for SARAI to deliver meaningful impacts and stressed the importance of effectively communicating the technology to beneficiaries. He emphasized the importance of recipients fully understanding and appreciating the innovations to make informed, data-driven decisions for policy and development in their respective jurisdictions.