To celebrate with the Benguet State University (BSU) community, Department of Agriculture – (DA-CAR) Regional Executive Director Atty. Jennilyn M. Dawayan, who also serves as a member of the Board of Regents (BOR), graced the university’s 108th Founding Anniversary celebration September 30, 2024 at the BSU Gymnasium, La Trinidad, Benguet.
Themed “BSU Embracing Intergenerational Entrepreneurial Spirit”, Atty. Dawayan congratulated the BSU’s more than a century of success in instruction, research, and extension and on being the center of excellence in Benguet. She also emphasized the university’s resiliency in overcoming its challenges throughout the years. “Hidden beyond those 108 years are dedicated, diligent and loving administrative personnel, instructors and professors who will weather the storm out and work their way to make BSU prouder every day than ever,” she said.
Additionally, she also acknowledged similar challenges faced by BSU in uplifting the lives of the highland communities and farmers, especially in Benguet, recognizing that beyond various other issues, food distribution poses not only a logistical challenge but also an economic one, affecting the entire supply chain from the food source to sustaining agricultural production. But she also recognized the evolution of Cordilleran farmers to being agripreneurs by marketing their own produce.
Further, she underscored the importance of the agricultural technological advances generated by BSU that provided aid to farmers such as potato tubers, strawberry planting materials, and other root crops which farmers continue to advocate. “Your Agribased Technology Business Incubator has become one of the pillars in incubating farmers to hatch ideas and build businesses that hopefully can contribute economically to our region. The Department of Science and Technology and DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research have been helpful in various initiatives,” she stated.
She continued that beyond these innovations, there are still myriad of challenges that are continuously being supported. “Recognizing its expertise and testing its business insight, BSU was enlisted to support trading centers, particularly the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC). We appreciate BSU’s collaboration and willingness to tackle the challenge of continuously improving marketing systems while addressing long-standing unsustainable and unethical practices. Amid the digital era, artificial intelligence, and other new ideas, how can we make BAPTC work best for the benefit of our stakeholders who were called to serve?” Atty. Dawayan stressed.
With this, RED Dawayan shared her official visits to Jerusalem and Singapore, wherein their innovations in technology, research initiatives, and collaborations with concerned stakeholders have positively impacted each country’s economy and supply chain. Atty. Dawayan believes that BSU can play a key role not only in fostering an intergenerational entrepreneurial spirit but also in advancing technological innovation among users with the support of various stakeholders.
To close, Atty. Dawayan pledged continuous support to the BSU in its agriculture-based initiatives which are driven by technology on all fronts, emphasizing that collaboration and complementary efforts are essential for success, including involving students in DA-CAR’s centers to familiarize them with farm machinery and equipment the agency has procured. Additionally, students will engage in areas such as soil, water, feeds, pests, and animal diagnostics. DA-CAR has also supported some of the university’s livestock farms and is committed to accepting learners in the field of dairy production.
Coinciding with the BSU’s Founding Anniversary is the culmination of the 124th Civil Service Commission celebration.** Cy-j E. Waytan
