CSU-CReATe expands industry partnership in research and innovation

Caraga State University, through the CSU-CReATe or Center for Resource Assessment, Analytics and Emerging Technologies and the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering-CSU of the College of Engineering and Geosciences, signed an agreement with agricultural industries, cooperative, and government agencies on October 24, 2022 at the HERO Learning Commons. 

Engr. Meriam Makinano-Santillan, dean of the CEGS welcomed the participants and representatives from the different partner agencies and industries, where she expressed gratitude to the people and partners for making the momentous activity possible. She mentioned the significance of industry partnerships in molding the students to be ready for the real world of work.

Dr. Rowena P. Varela VP for Research, Innovation, and Extension also graced the event and to represent the OIC-President Dr. Joy C. Capistrano. Dr. Varela expressed her commitment and support to the partnership with an expectation of a fruitful and smooth implementation of the projects that were mutually agreed upon. She emphasized the importance of Public-Private-Academia Partnerships (PPAP) in R&D projects to benefit farmers, industries, and other stakeholders. She articulated that the mutual cooperation will not end with the project life but will continue as long as both parties see the need for collaborative efforts.

Four (4) Memoranda of Agreement were inked simultaneously during the occasion. These include: 1. MOA between CSU-CReATe and the Department of Agriculture- Caraga on the “Determination of Agricultural Mechanization Level in the Product and Post-production Systems of Rice and Corn in Selected Areas of Caraga Region”; 2. MOA between CSU-CReATe and Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Inc. (TADECO) for the “Value-adding of Agricultural Wastes into Potential Utilization/Technology”; 3. MOA between CSU-CReATe and Filipinas Palm Oil Plantation, Inc. (FPPI) and Caraga Oil Refining, Inc. (CORI) for the “Value-adding of Agricultural Wastes into Potential Utilization/Technology”; and 4. MOA between CSU-CReATe and Ago Magsaysay Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative (AMARBEMCO) and Department of Agrarian Reform- Agusan del Sur on “Development and Optimization of Commodity-based SMART Agri-fishery Mechanization” These memoranda of agreement were made possible through the leadership of Engr. Philip Donald C. Sanchez, the Center Director of CReATe.

In their commitment speeches, representatives from the different partners expressed their gratitude to CSU for the collaboration and connectedness. Each partner industry and organization stressed the value of SMART-based technologies and systems for their day-to-day operations. While the memoranda signing was ongoing, other areas of collaboration have been discussed for future engagement. CREaTE/OVPRIE/pico