Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar encouraged the new graduates of the National College of Science and Technology (NCST) to participate in innovative solutions towards increasing the country’s food security level during the NCST’s Commencement Exercises on May 19, 2022.

“We need the talent of the youth in the sector that employs majority of our workforce. Please join us in Philippine agriculture,” Secretary Dar said during the event attended by more than one thousand graduates.

He encouraged the youth to reflect on how their personal research and other undertakings will be relevant in addressing food availability, affordability, and accessibility, increasing incomes of farmers and fishers, and creating more sustainable jobs.

“I encourage you to use your dreams as the basis of the quality of life you would want the people around you to enjoy,” Secretary Dar said as he asked the youth to consider pouring their talents in the sector that has been neglected, underdeveloped, and underfunded.

He shared the programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to enjoin them in agri-fishery and discussed the agency’s massive campaign to professionalize the sector.

“We want more farm managers, engineers, scientists, future technocrats, information technology and other digital specialists, among others,” he said.

NCST President and Chief Executive Officer Emerson Atanacio committed that the college will soon offer agriculture courses. Currently, NCST offers courses in business, computer studies, criminal justice, education, psychology, communication, engineering and architecture, and tourism.

Secretary Dar told the graduates of the bigger challenges that they might face as the country’s future leaders. He also cautioned them on the emerging global challenges, particularly the looming food crisis.

He added that with their great minds and skills, they can contribute to increasing the country’s local supply of food through research, science, and entrepreneurship, among others.

“Dear graduates, the task of nation-building starts with your individual reflections about your own security in all its forms — food security, job security, physical security, financial security. Be honest to yourselves about what you want, and it will reflect in the body of work that you contribute to national development,” the agri chief concluded. ### (Gumamela Celes Bejarin, DA-AFID)