By Niño Manaog
Extension Associate II
Capiz State University
World Trade Center, Pasay City—The Research, Development and Extension Center (RDEC) of the Capiz State University (CapSU) led by Dr. Cora Navarra, vice-president for research and extension, brought some 20 faculty members from the CapSU campuses and staff of the Extension Institute to take part in the four-day Agrilink which ran from Oct. 4–8 here.
Also led by Dr. Guillermo Legada, Jr., research director; and Dr. Emelita Solante, extension director, the delegation consisted of faculty researchers and staff from across the CapSU campuses, namely: Dr. Bede Ozaraga, Dr. Ma. Sylvia Ozaraga of Dumarao Campus; Dr. Maryanne Martelino, Prof. Eleonor Briones, Dr. Ramesis Solante, Prof. Auralyn Balacase and Mr. Frank Figarola of Burias Campus; Dr. Jocelyn Dagudag and Dr. Renato Ollos of Pontevedra Campus; and Dr. Sykum Legarda, Mr. Eduardo Navarra, Mr. Antonio Buñi, and Mr. Niño Manaog, all of the Extension Institute.
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(Clockwise from top left) Extension Specialist Eduardo Navarra checks out a plants display in a booth; RDEC's Antonio Buni samples the vegetables in a commercial farms display; Dr. Sykum Legarda and Prof Eleonor Briones register for the first day; Dr. Ramesis Solante, Prof. Frank Figarola and Agricultural Technician Ceferino Lizada make friends with a fellow agri-tourist; and VP for RDE Cora Navarra make queries with a booth staff.
Anchored on the “Common Service Facilities: Key to the Value Chain, ” this year’s Agrilink focused on the chain of agriculture-related business encompassing a wide variety of production inputs and systems, post harvest, value-adding, food processing and retailing.
Held along with Aqualink, which showcased current technologies and products in fisheries and Foodlink, which promoted innovations and current trends in food processing, the four-day Agrilink offered numerous technical and product presentations, cooking demos, product launches, raffles and even fun games for the participants.
Among others, the CapSU participants surveyed new technologies featured in the said three exhibit areas and also attended the lecture-forums on varied interests from which they gained new information and know-how.
According to Dr. Cora Navarra, this year RDEC made sure to send more staff and collaborated with the campuses to send faculty researchers to the Agrilink so that they are updated with the current technologies in agriculture, fisheries and food processing.
For Navarra, exposure to modern trends and innovations is inevitable because this will keep researchers and extension workers abreast with the present-day demands. Additional knowledge and information will give them more leverage to effectively pursue research studies in their respective stations and to equip them with updated technologies to share to farmers and other clients. Navarra added that all said efforts have been inspired and supported by Dr. Editha L. Magallanes, CapSU president.
