The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), through the Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD), organized the AgriVision 2029: International Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture Higher Education Program in the Philippines at Drilon Hall, SEARCA Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna on 20 August 2024. The significant event is a pivotal component of the ongoing project, "Formulation of the Five-Year Roadmap for Agricultural Higher Education in the Philippines," initiated and supported by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and undertaken by SEARCA in collaboration with Visayas State University (VSU).
The dialogue brought together 17 government, academe, research, and industry experts to share valuable insights and feedback on the draft five-year roadmap while fostering knowledge exchange through open discussions, sharing of best practices, innovative ideas, and lessons learned in agricultural higher education (HE).
AgriVision 2029: International Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture Higher Education Program in the Philippines gathered experts in the government, academe, research, industry, and other stakeholders on 20 August 2024.
The event featured both plenary sessions and parallel roundtable discussions (RTDs). The plenary sessions provided an overview of agriculture HE in the Philippines and selected ASEAN countries, while the RTDs focused on discussing the actionable strategies and action plans based on three major pillars from the draft five-year roadmap, namely, 1) Enhancing institutions and governance among higher education institutions, 2) Curriculum improvement, and 3) Enabling policy environment.
In his welcome message, Atty. Eric Reynoso, Program Head of EIGD, emphasized that the presence of participants underscores a collective commitment to advancing agricultural higher education. He noted that AgriVision 2029 is a crucial milestone in shaping the future of agriculture higher education in the Philippines.
Dr. Maria Ana Quimbo, Assistant Project Leader, provided an overview of the project study, outlining the strategic direction of AgriVision 2029. Dr. Quimbo highlighted that AgriVision 2029 is the culminating event of the project. Meanwhile, Project Leader Dr. Virginia Cardenas presented the study's key findings, including the draft five-year roadmap and key recommendations for each major pillar.
From left to right: Atty. Eric Reynoso delivered his welcome speech, Dr. Maria Ana Quimbo outlined the project overview and future direction, and Dr. Virginia Cardenas presented the study findings.
Participants were then divided into three groups based on the three major pillars of the roadmap, wherein they provided feedback and suggestions in draft actionable strategies and action plans. To guide their discussions, questions were categorized into three: what was good, what was difficult, and what could be done differently.
The RTDs were facilitated by Dr. Cardenas, Dr. Quimbo, and Dr. Suzette Lina (Assistant Project Leader from VSU), and RTD outputs were presented by selected representatives.
Roundtable discussions at AgriVision 2029
From left to right: Dr. Jeselle Laranas, Dr. Aimee Lynn Dupo, and Dr. Karen Bautista presented the RTD results.
To benchmark agricultural programs with other ASEAN universities, the event featured distinguished resource speakers Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Dr. Weerapon Thongma from Maejo University, Thailand. Dr. Nur discussed UPM's innovative 3u1i program, which stands for three years of university education followed by one year of industry immersion, designed to better prepare students for the workforce. Dr. Thongma, on the other hand, introduced reinventing Maejo University by transforming it into an entrepreneurial institution with initiatives such as the Maejo Innovation and Food Innovation District (MAID) and Magrow Holding Company Limited, a university-managed platform that fosters university-industry collaboration. This discussion offered valuable input for the roadmap by showcasing the best practices of ASEAN agriculture HEIs, particularly in program and curriculum development, innovations, internationalization efforts, and future directions.
Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam (left) presented the Agriculture Program of Universiti Putra Malaysia. Meanwhile, Dr. Weerapon Thongma, who joined online (right) showcased the Agriculture Program of Maejo University with AgriVision participants.
An open dialogue ensued after the presentations, highlighting critical issues such as the underlying factors contributing to the disparity between the average enrollment and graduation rates in agricultural programs. Participants emphasized the necessity of conducting tracer studies to track career paths of graduates and assess the effectiveness of curricula in meeting industry needs. The discussion further underscored the pivotal role of HEIs in addressing these challenges, mainly through innovative teaching approaches, curriculum enhancement, and stronger industry linkages. By fostering a collaborative environment, HEIs are seen as key players in shaping the future of agricultural education in the Philippines, ensuring it is responsive to the evolving demands of the sector.
Open dialogue at AgriVision 2029
Dr. Edgardo Tulin, Assistant Project Leader from VSU, synthesized the whole-day event, noting the strategies to make agriculture a "cool" venture and emphasizing the need for policies, programs, and initiatives to be reinforced, aligned, and harmonized. He also presented the next steps for the project, including the need for continued collaboration and strategic action among stakeholders.
To draw the productive day to a close, SEARCA's Center Director Glenn B. Gregorio delivered his closing message. He acknowledged the diverse perspectives shared during the event and the potential of these insights to bring about bold and transformative changes in agricultural higher education. He underscored the urgent need to implement these changes to ensure that agricultural education remains dynamic and relevant in addressing the sector's evolving needs, leaving the audience with a sense of optimism for the future.
Dr. Edgardo Tulin (left) presented the synthesis of the event and ways forward for the roadmapping project, while SEARCA Center Director Glenn B. Gregorio (right) delivered the closing message.