The International Summer Short-term Program 2023 was held from July 24 to August 1, 2023, at Central Luzon State University (CLSU) jointly organized with the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC), for which the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) serves as secretariat. There were three programs: Food Sustainability and Food Security in Freshwater Aquaculture, Sustainable Mushroom Pharming, and Sustainable and Efficient Goat Production. A signature collaborative program that focused on sustainable agricultural food production systems. The UC Graduate Forum will serve as a forum for information exchange, teamwork, and innovation in the field of agricultural sustainability.
The event hosted 31 graduate students from CLSU’s partner universities in the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (University Consortium or UC), which include Universitas Gadjah Mada, IPB University, Universiti Putra Malaysia, National Taiwan University, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Maejo University, Visayas State University, University of the Philippines Los Baños, and the Central Luzon State University. In addition, this year’s participants also include graduate students from Xiamen University Malaysia and the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture to share new knowledge, research ideas, and experiences. At the same time, it offers the perfect environment for participants to interact, network, and connect with distinguished academic peers.
Rahma Widya Puspita, Master Students from Estate Crop Product Technology, representatives from Gadjah Mada University took “Food Sustainability and Food Security in Freshwater Aquaculture” in this event.
There were some lectures on Food Sustainability and Food Security in Freshwater Aquaculture, such as “Sex Redirection of Tilapia for Sustainable Production” by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ravelina R. Velasco (Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs from CLSU), “Aquashade Technology for Increased Tilapia Seed Production During Warm Months” by Prof. Dr. Emmanuel M. Vera Cruz (Head Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries from CLSU), “Monitoring of Fish Health Using Nanotechnology Detection Kit” by Prof. Dr. Karl Marx A. Quiazon (Director of Freshwater Aquaculture Center from CLSU), “Tilapia Value-adding and Processing” by Prof. Janet O. Saturno (Head of Extension Division, Freshwater Aquaculture Center from CLSU) and “Microbial Strategies for Fish Health and Food Security towards Sustainable Aquaculture Resilience” by Dr. Murni Marlina Abd Karim (Associate Professor, Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, UPM).
During the program, she also tried tilapia ice cream made by VeraBella Enterprises (Owned by Prof. Dr. Dana G. Vera Cruz), did cultural fellowship night, met the Office of the City Mayor Science City of Munoz, Hon. Baby Armi Lazaro Alvarez, and extended her invitation for future visits and collaboration with the city’s R&D agencies.
During the city tour, she also learned about the agricultural initiatives and programs of the Philippine Carabao Center, the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization, the Phil-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology, and the renewable energy initiatives of the Green Innovation for Tomorrow Corporation (GIFT).
For this program, Rahma and two students from UPM propose research with the title “The Effectiveness of Fresh Water from the Skin of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) for Human Consumption” for the final presentation and get awarded “Certificate of Completion” by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ravelina R. Velasco (Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs from CLSU).
