9 scholarships open for BSU organic aggie majors

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The Benguet State University-Cordillera Organic Agriculture Research and Development Center or COARDC is still waiting for applicants to nine remaining scholarship slots.

Applicants should be incoming 3rd and 4th year BSU students of BS Agriculture who plan to major in organic agriculture, said COARDC director, Dr. Joe Balaoing.

The scholarship was funded by the Department of Agriculture through its Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF).

There are 20 slots allotted for the School Year 2013-2014 and 11 have already been filled up.

With the scholarship, Dr. Balaoing hopes that it will strengthen the advocacy development and promotion of organic agriculture in the region.

He also committed to work on the possibility of accepting scholars from other State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the region provided that they will now develop a curriculum geared towards the offering of organic agriculture as a major in the degree Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA).

BSU started offering organic agriculture as a major for BSA students in 2010 and had its first 10 majors. However, BSU is the only SUC in CAR offering organic agriculture as a BSA major.

The scholarship will pay for tuition fee, laboratory fee, miscellaneous fees, book allowance, stipend and thesis assistance. -- Jen Sabado-Tabangcura