Researchers in various disciplines from around the world assembled for the 4th International Conference on Education, Environment, and Agriculture (ICEEA) 2023 held on September 28, 2023, at the Villa Caceres Hotel, in its mission to be a platform for knowledge-sharing of novel and fundamental advances in the mentioned fields to solve pressing issues the world is currently facing as reflected in this year’s theme, “Achieving Planetary Health through Agricultural Innovation and Green Technology.”
Spearheaded by Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, this international research convention is a product of the synergy among various educational institutions and companies: Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Vietnam; Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia; Institute of Green Products, Feng Chia University, Taiwan; Leave a Nest Japan; Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Philippines; and Abra State Institute of Science and Technology, Philippines.
Dr. Ramona Isabel Ramirez, CBSUA’s Vice President for Research and Innovations, opened the conference and acknowledged the essential contributions of all involved parties.
In a recorded video message, Dr. Alberto Naperi, President of CBSUA, emphasized ICEEA’s role in addressing global issues across various disciplines and promoting planetary health, particularly among marginalized communities.
Dr. Yarina Ahmad, representing Dr. Roziah Binti Mohd Janor, Vice Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi MARA (Malaysia), highlighted the importance of collaboration and partnership for the conference’s success.
In another message given by Dr. Yukihiro Maru, Founder and Group CEO of Leave a Nest Japan, stressed the potential for researchers to make a significant impact by combining entrepreneurship with research efforts.
Moreover, Ms. Maria Lourdes G. Ferrer, Director of the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, and Dr. Gregorio T. Turqueza, Jr., President of ASIST, emphasized the conference’s invaluable contributions to achieving planetary health.
Educating the participants in various disciplines, plenary sessions were held. This started off with a discussion with Dr. Yukihiro Maru of Leave a Nest Japan. He discussed the Importance of Entrepreneruship Education for Global Happiness. His talk mainly centred on bridging entrepreneurship and research. Dr. Shuhei Tsukada, Executive Officer of the same company, then discussed How the Agri-Food Tech Ecosystem is Developed by Researchers from Japan.
The third plenary speaker, Dr. Yarina Ahmad, the Director for Biodiversity and Sustainable Development from UiTM, Malaysia, shed light on Enhancing Agroforestry Policies for Planetary Health and Innovation, sharing the status quo of the topic in the world. Lastly, Dr. Andrew Chen-yeon Chu, the Director of the Institute of Green Products of Feng Chia University, Taiwan, comprehensively discussed A New Paradigm on Biohythane Production Technology in a Self-Sustained Community wherein engineering methodologies will be used to solve environmental problems.
After all plenary sessions, an exchange of ideas and insights took place during the open forum segment.
Lastly, the main highlight of the conference, the parallel sessions, took off. Online and onsite presenters proficiently delivered their research presentations while experts in the field served as their evaluators.
Capping off ICEEA 2023 is a final message coming from the CBSUA President. He underlined how CBSUA and the academic sector in general, is the most challenged sector in society. Furthermore, he stated that ICEEA 2023 can be a springboard to help the community: “This might be a little step for others, but we may not achieve our goals if we do not start an action, [even] in our own little way.”
