“We feed the nation,” says Regional Executive Director for Cagayan Valley Narciso A. Edillo of the Department of Agriculture- Regional Office No. 02 (DA-RFO 02) to some 341 attendees on the 5th future Agricultural Leaders of the Philippines at Cagayan State University Piat Campus, Piat, Cagayan, January 17.

He said that failure in the agriculture industry threatens the economy of the country as the highlight of the summit adding that this venture is for poverty reduction through Agricultural Innovation.

“To our young leaders, it is time to help us in our battle to not only produce food but also be an advocate for change in these coming years,” urged Edillo.

Edillo admired the deep commitment to maximizing the contribution that agriculture can make in achieving economic growth, jobs creation and sustaining local economies of rural communities.

“The key to the development of our agriculture sector is the development of agribusiness, which emphasizes smarter and more technologically-driven farming, and the development of the infrastructure needed to support the marketing advantages of smart farming,” Edillo said.

On his part, CSU Piat Campus Executive Officer Dr. Vicente S. Binasoy Jr. stressed the importance of Agricultural innovation is about people and Innovation as the driver to economic growth.

“Future leaders and specialists in the agri-sector which will enable students to gain valuable skills and experience and help move the agriculture forward,” lamented CSU Piat Campus College of Agriculture (CA) Dean Dr. Hitler C. Dangatan.

The event which is participated in by some 250 agriculture students, 19 faculty members, 66 immersions students and three (3) coordinators of the said university.