A drop in the enrolment of agriculture students is being felt throughout the country, Dr. Henry Sojor, president of the Negros Oriental State University, said recently.

NORSU is the host this year and base agency of the Central Visayas Consortium for Integrated Regional Research and Development, which is conducting a two-day joint meeting among 50 Regional Research and Development Coordinating Council and consortium directors nationwide, that started yesterday. Sojor said one of the issues tackled at the meeting was the decrease in the enrolment to agriculture courses, including that at NORSU.

Among the reasons cited were the students' lack of own land to till after graduation; the absence of capital and support services; and lack of enough job opportunities.

These will be addressed by the Philippine Council on Agriculture and Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development headed by executive director Dr. Patricio Faylon.

The meeting is also aimed at deliberating on researches and other natural resources focusing on agriculture, the results of which will be submitted to the Department of Science and Technology through the PCARRD.

Policies formulated will also be submitted to Congress and Malacañang.

Organizers said this is important because the Philippines is an agriculture-based country.

Meanwhile, also expected after the meeting is the recommendation of three agricultural products as priority areas of production. For Region 7, these are corn, ornamental plants and coconut.

Participants will also discuss whether the requirement to take a licensure exam for agriculturists had helped the graduates.

Sojor suggested that government should extend its idle lots for graduates to use in developing new trends in agriculture, so that they can be issued licenses by the Professional Regulation Commission.

Faylon said reaserch and development involving 14 regions in the country represented by university presidents, consortia directors and agency heads is vital because of the increasing demand for food supply.

Organizers said the Techno Gabay program is aimed helping farmers introduce technology in their jobs, in support to organic farming pushed by government.*JG/MA

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