IN PHOTOS | Students from the University of San Carlos taking up BS Entrepreneurship – Agriculture Track were given opportunities to experience actual farming.

They were taught on asexual propagation specifically on grafting mango demonstrated by Cecillepet V. Caintic, DA7 fruit trees nursery project leader.

“This is a new learning experience. Had no idea that we can use seedlings in planting, coz all I thought is to sow the seeds in soil directly”, student Karen Mizuta said.

Another student Grace Ann Pasaporte was amazed on the grafting technology that a mango tree can already bear fruit within 2-3 years.

Teaching the students that farming is both scientific and machine based, they were also exposed to drive and operate a 4-wheel drive tractor and how to use a rotavator after the brief lecture by Engr. Jose Paolo Acero, the DA7 farm machinery in-charge.

DA7 Field Operations Division Chief, Dr. Gerry Avila emphasized that in this special track (Entrepreneurship), DA7 will assist the students from the plant production to market access.

“Part of this exercise is for the students to come up with their own business plan and to implement them (plan) when they are already managing their own farms”, Avila said.

USC Class adviser Maria Angelita Ramona Valles shared that the students find the subject interesting, in fact some of the students from other special track shifted to the agriculture track.

The special collaboration of the Department of Agriculture – Central Visayas and the University of San Carlos has been ongoing for the past 4 years.