A new book by state think tank Philippine
Institute for Development Studies and the Philippine Council for Agriculture,
Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) examines the
declining enrollment in agriculture, forestry, and natural resources (AFNR)
courses in the country.
Titled “Higher Education in Agriculture: Trends, Prospects, and
Policy Directions”, it looks into the need to rationalize AFNR higher
educational and technical-vocational institutions. The book considers the
development gains for the country if the agricultural sector, which represents
a third of the country’s workforce, gets its much-needed boost.
The book is the result of the project “Policy Research on the
State and Future Supply of and Demand for AFNR Graduates in the Philippines”
conducted by PIDS and PCAARRD. It was edited by Dr. Roehlano Briones, PIDS
Senior Research Fellow, and Dr. Melvin Carlos, Chief Science Research
Specialist and Director of the Technology Transfer and Promotion Division at
PCAARRD.
“The book will serve as a guide to policymakers, education
specialists, students, and other education stakeholders, to understand the
emerging challenges in the human resource aspect of agricultural development,”
said Dr. Gilberto Llanto, PIDS President.
Dr. Patricio Faylon, PCAARRD Executive Director, said the book
is intended to dig deeper into the declining enrollment in AFNR courses and to
provide reasons for its decline, and what should be done to address this
alarming phenomenon in AFNR education.
The book is another contribution of PIDS in partnership with
PCAARRD to highlight the other key ingredient of inclusive growth which is
higher education. The trends, prospects, and policy directions of higher
education in agriculture, which is the core study of this book, provides
compelling recommendations on how the agriculture sector can stand up on its
own legs.
For inquiries on the book, kindly contact the Publications and
Circulation Division of PIDS at publications@mail.pids.gov.ph or dial
893-9573/894-2584. (PIDS)
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