CHED Chair De Vera Graces the Official Launching of eFARM Academy Program

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson, Dr. J. Prospero E. de Vera III, visited the Central Luzon State University today, February 10 to grace the official launching of the eFARM (Engaging Food and Agriculture Resources Management) Academy Program. This is a P15.4 million CHED-funded project spearheaded by Dr. Gella Patria L. Abella, Program Leader and Head of the Institute for Climate Change and Environmental Management (ICCEM). Officer-in-charge of the Office of the Deputy Executive Director and Director of the International Affairs Staff (CHED-IAS), Atty. Lily Freida M. Milla together with other CHED delegates, and CLSU officials joined the CHED Chairperson on the said launching. The eFARM Academy seeks to bring technologies and innovations to a larger and diverse audience such as local and foreign students, life-long tourist learners, farmers, local government units, and Philippine and foreign higher education institutions. “I came here to congratulate everyone for doing everything despite the hardship brought by the pandemic. The education continued, we persevered in the worst of times,” said by Chairperson De Vera during the opening program. He also recognized the efforts of CLSU in terms of internationalization of higher education, an advocate he started when he assumed the position as CHED Chairperson. “Karapat-dapat lamang bigyan ang CLSU ng proyekto dahil isa ito sa mga pamantasang hinirang na pinakamagaling sa Asya sa Internationalization. Dapat lang na dumami ang proyekto kasi magaling kayo, the proof is your inclusion on Top 15 best universities in the QS World Rankings,” he added. As the project aims to showcase and promote the different matured technologies developed by the University, CLSU President Edgar A. Orden said that “the eFARM Academy is grounded with the clear intention of not only putting food on the table. It gives emphasis on the immediate need of educating the world on matters that concern food security.” Three exhibits were put up to highlight the major components of the project namely: eFARM GROW, eFARM KITCHEN, and eFARM ACADEMY. During the program overview, one of the project leaders, Asst. Prof. Maria Adrielle S. Estigoy explained that the eFARM GROW (generate, reap, opportunity, and wealth) intends to showcase the existing agricultural technologies developed and generated by CLSU such as aromatic and hybrid rice production, organic-based onion production, indoor vertical farming system, aquashade system, mushroom production, goat production, and zero-waste pig (ZWap) farming system. The eFARM KITCHEN, on the other hand, aims to translate the research outputs of CLSU into a variety of food processing technologies and culinary applications and package these into videos which will be uploaded via YouTube and Facebook thereby encouraging its target audience to explore entrepreneurial opportunities in food processing and food preparations. The eFARM ACADEMY, being the core component of the project, provides online courses and other learning materials that supports the promotion of agripreneurship through its Learning Management System wherein local and international students can enroll for free during the first year of its implementation. Representatives from other state universities and colleges in the region such as Bulacan State University and President Ramon Magsaysay State University also showed their support to CLSU during the launching. The event was held at the FPJ Communication Hall, and was broadcasted live via the official Facebook Page of eFARM Academy and DWFA 107.3 FM.