In EVSU’s efforts to make strides in the innovation industry, the university’s Futures Thinking Team, particularly the group focused on coconut commodity, visited the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) for benchmarking purposes on October 24 and 25.
The team conducted site visits at the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) and UPLB’s BIOTECH institute, gaining valuable insights into how these organizations are advancing coconut research with the goal of bringing these innovations back to EVSU and find ways to apply them to the coconut industry within the region.
EVSU’s team recognized the vital part coconut commodity plays as a lifeline for farmers and rural community. By partnering with top HEIs such as UPLB and learning from their experience, they aim to make sure that the university becomes a leader in the field’s innovation and development.
Despite inclement weather caused by the Typhoon Kristine, the team pushed through with their visit, eager to learn from UPLB’s top-tier facilities and best research practices. The team’s commitment reflects the university’s ideals of pursuing sustainable development. Further, the team was able to connect with UPLB experts, observe cutting-edge facilities, and explore ways on how EVSU can adopt these advancements.
Moving forward, EVSU’s “coco team” plans to implement many of the best practices they observed to their research process. The recent conduct of benchmarking visits and partnerships mark the beginning of EVSU’s journey toward strengthening its research capacity in agriculture.
Written by: JS Beleña | UMDC
