The dean of the Benguet State University (BSU) College of Agriculture said the number of students enrolling in the course is showing an uptrend.

Dr. Constantino Sudaypan, dean of the college, said in a media interview on Tuesday that, “As compared to other universities who has one section per year level, we continue to have two sections each, and the trend of enrollment is showing a minimal increase.”

He said that this shows agriculture remains in the heart of the “Igorots”, or the people of Benguet.

The province produces at least 85 percent of the highland vegetable requirement of the country, with most of the produce being transported to Metro Manila, aside from Visayas and other parts of Luzon.

Sudaypan noted that many students want to venture into agriculture, especially “with the incorporation of entrepreneurship activities like agri-tourism that adds flavor and value to the agriculture course.”

He also said that as far as BSU is concerned, it continuously enhances the curriculum.

BSU used to only offer Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, but has added a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Entrepreneurship. Each course has two sections for each year level.

Sudaypan also noted that the students are being “exposed as interns in the local government units, aside from the different government line agencies that support agriculture.”

The professor also said agriculture is the past, present, and the future, and will continue to be a needed profession as long as there are people who eat food.

He shared that while they have students who enroll in the course as a second choice because they did not qualify in the Nursing or Engineering course, they end up enjoying Agriculture, many of them even graduating on top of their class or the professional board examinations.

He also said that another proof of the growing demand for agriculture workers is that many professionals double as agriculturists.

Aida Pagtan, a licensed agriculturist, said she is a licensed social worker, but took up agriculture after working in attached agencies of the Department of Agriculture, and eventually, the main agency.

She shared: “Agriculture is not just about tilling the land. It also requires understanding of the soil, the pests, the insects, the plants, and their needs so that each species will co-exist in harmony with each other.”

She added that agriculture covers marketing the products, packaging them, and looking for institutionalized buyers or having collaborations with other farmers to be able to meet the market’s demand for the same quality of produce.

“Such requires understanding science and agriculture course teaches that,” Pagtan said.

She also noted that farms have evolved into agri-tourism farms, or eco-agri farms, or agricultural learning sites that also cater to guests or tourists. (PNA)