Philippine agricultural education for the 3E's: economy, environment and energy

The Philippines considers agriculture as a vital sector for its economic sustainability. It accounts for 18% or almost one-fifth of the gross domestic product (GDP) and supplies the major source of raw materials on which the whole economy of the country depends. It is also the biggest contributor to employment with 35% of the country's labor force engaged in it. The increasing pressure to adopt strategies compatible with sustainable development agenda challenges the agriculture sector to reinvent itself, innovate and create new frontiers in knowledge generation while aggressively diffusing technologies responsive to community needs. Such is made more urgent by the worldwide awareness for the need to mitigate global warming and pursue climate change adaptation measures. The Philippines' carbon footprint is minimal but much is required to respond to this phenomenon. Agricultural education is looked upon as the most appropriate response to address these challenges. Unfortunately, there has been a progressive decline in enrollment in agricultural colleges and universities in the Philippines wherein the environment stewards-the agricultural educationists are dwindling in number. Its one hundred seventy (170) agricultural colleges and universities have been experiencing declining enrollment with young high school graduates going for business courses as number one choice and new interest in medical and allied courses especially nursing as second choice. Given this recent phenomenon, this paper shall then discuss the initiatives of Bicol University and other state colleges and universities in the Philippines to address the declining enrollment in agriculture, forestry and natural resources in order to sustain the vital manpower resource for agriculture as well as to redirect agricultural education interest toward agribusiness and sustainable development.