A PSU – Sta. Maria researcher, extensionist and IGP participant was awarded as the Most Outstanding Extensionist in the person of Professor Elisa S. Della, based on the result of screening done by the Philippine Association of Agri-vironment Educators and Entrepreneurs, Inc. (PASSAGE) Awards Committee during the 2016 PASSAGE Search for Outstanding Researcher and Outstanding Extensionist last February 4 through the 17th Biennial Convention and International Research Conference at SEARCA, Los Banos, Laguna.
Della was awarded with a Plaque of Recognition for her exemplary work in extension in promoting the generation of technology as well as the utilization and techno-demonstration of the organic fertilizer by the marginalized farmers, NGOs and POs such as cooperative officers and members in the rural areas.
Participated by officials, employees, faculty and students of agriculture and environment education programs in HEIs, LUCs and SUCs that included Della along with the PASSAGE officers also joined the conference tour around Laguna in which they visited Costales Nature Farms in Majayjay and the town of Liliw that is considered as the “Footwear Capital of Laguna”. A total of 92 participants graced the event with the Bicol region registering the highest number of delegates.
Moreover, Della stated in her travel report that the Costales Nature Farm with a well-planned and scientifically sound use of EM-based organic fertilizer utilization in the farm inputs for sustainable production of vegetables and fruits can be easily replicated in PSU’s agricultural campuses considering that PSU – Sta. Maria campus produces its own organic fertilizer using agro-industrial wastes.
During the said conference, Della asserted that the researcher’s outputs from the different countries were rich areas for replication in PSU given the same topographic and weather conditions in Pangasinan. Della also shared that through her participation in the said conference, she was able to exchange ideas on how to benefit each other through collaboration.
Consequently, Della recommends enhancing the Technology Business Incubator scheme to convince people especially from the rural sectors to adopt the technologies and entice investors to invest in the establishment of low-cost laboratory and fruiting house with the assistance of PSU and other government line agencies to assist the stakeholders to become partners and potential drivers in economic development.
The 17th Biennial PASSAGE convention was a 4-day event anchored on the theme, “The Role of Educators and Entrepreneurs in Sustaining the Integrated ASEAN Community” that aimed to design appropriate agricultural learning program to sustain the gains of ASEAN, to provide avenue to create awareness on the role of educators and entrepreneurs in the country’s development and conduct election of new PASSAGE officers.