Bicol University’s campus in Guinobatan, Albay is promoting taking agriculture courses to the youth through a festival showcasing local products of farmers’ groups, students, and other producers on Wednesday.

Dr. Roscefe Dy, campus dean, said the event aims to honor the enduring spirit of agriculture and forestry as the lifeblood of communities in Bicol.

Aside from promoting livelihood opportunities, Dy said the university wanted to reshape the youth’s perception of agriculture, which is often regarded as an unrewarding career path.

“Our career guidance approach is different. We don’t just present our courses; we include testimonials from our graduated staff. Our goal is to show that there is a real future in agriculture,” she said in her speech.

“We are here to sow seeds of knowledge through seminars and workshops, cultivate new ventures through partnerships, and nurture resilience in our communities through shared learning.”

Dy said the event demonstrates how the university’s research outputs and innovations can create lasting impact in the community and the environment.

The university’s Guinobatan campus offers nine courses focused on agriculture and forestry.

Guinobatan Mayor Ann Gemma Ongjoco expressed her gratitude about having an agricultural state university campus in Guinobatan, noting that the local government will reciprocate the benefits since the locals will be the first to benefit from these projects.

“Guinobatan is lucky because it has a state university campus for agriculture. This will bring a lot of benefits, so one thing the LGU (local government units) will do is reciprocate. The number one beneficiaries will be the local farmers.” Ongjoco said. (PNA)