Monsanto Philippines recently conducted its University Outreach Program to over 400 students and faculty members in key agricultural-based schools in Visayas to promote biotechnology and its contribution to agricultural sustainability.
The nationwide outreach program, which was previously held in select state universities and elementary schools in Luzon and Mindanao, visited the University of the Philippines-Visayas (UPV) Donato M. Pison Elementary School and Nabitasan Elementary School in Iloilo, known to be a promising region for corn production, for a two-day learning activity.
The University Outreach Program is a pioneering initiative of Monsanto Philippines which regularly provides in-depth discussions to participants from various disciplines such as Agriculture, Science, Communications and other related courses of colleges and universities. The Program covers topics such as Sustainable Agriculture, the use of biotechnology in farming, careers in the agricultural industry, and the company’s corporate social responsibility programs.
Monsanto Philippines Corporate Affairs Lead Charina Ocampo shared that aside from opening opportunities for partnerships with academic institutions, the Outreach Program aims to provide students with knowledge and updated information on agriculture which hopefully they will find very useful now and in the future. “Monsanto remains committed to providing and promoting the use of modern biotechnology and agricultural solutions to help farmers address their challenges. Our university outreach is an opportunity to share information with important stakeholders who can help improve agriculture in the country,” Ocampo noted.
The said activity also showcased “Lina’s Town Rises Again” the first storybook turned into animation about biotech corn which touches on the themes of sustainability, collaboration and safety by narrating the true and inspiring story of a lady farmer from Sultan Kudarat, Aling Consolacion Reyes. It narrates how biotech corn seeds positively transformed Aling Conching’s life, and enabled her farming community to recover economically in the aftermath of a devastating typhoon.
The University Outreach Program started in 2014 and has engaged in more than 2000 students and teachers from several universities nationwide.
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