LACK of proper venues to properly disseminate studies on agribusiness economics and management in Mindanao is a pressing problem for researchers in the region.
To address this problem, the Commission on Higher Education's Zonal Research Center (Ched ZRC)-Davao Region will hold the 2nd Agribusiness Economics Conference on August 9. The venue will be at the Ched ZRC-11 host institution, the UP-Mindanao in Mintal, Davao City.
The conference sessions will be held at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Audio-Visual Room (CHSS AVR).
Researchers from higher education institutions (HEIs) are welcome to submit abstracts or full papers on or before August 2 for possible presentation in the conference.
Those who wish to participate or attend the conference may call the conference secretariat thru telefax (082)293-1839 or by e-mail at research@upmin.edu.ph.
The conference will provide a venue for research dissemination, by showcasing researches in agribusiness management, value chain analysis, economics of agricultural markets, and rural development.
It also aims to elicit feedback on the application and significance of research undertakings in the agribusiness industry, to determine how researches can be used to address pressing issues in the region, to foster and enhance networking and collaboration among various stakeholders, and to encourage interaction and development of new researches.
According to Ched ZRC-11 director and conference chair Dr. Larry N. Digal, "Aside from rescuing researches from gathering dust in the shelves of the academe, we want to build a strong relationship with the agribusiness industry so that the research output can inform industry decisions to adopt innovative practices and solve long-standing issues."
The conference is co-organized by the Davao Colleges and Universities Network (Dacun), the UP-Mindanao Office of Research, and done in partnership with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (Aciar).
The conference last year gathered 26 papers for presentation and drew 223 participants from Davao Region and other parts of Mindanao.
"There is still a long way to go before achieving our vision for a strong academe-industry partnership. We hope to continue doing this year after year until the goals we have set to achieve are fully realized," Digal said.