SOME 83 students from New Era University (NEU) College of Communication visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) to learn about the craft of messaging in agricultural science.
SEARCA Deputy Director for Programs Nur Azura binti Adam and partnerships unit staff welcomed the NEU students.
Zara Mae Estareja, SEARCA senior associate for public relations, briefed the students on the center's core programs and discussed the challenges encountered in agricultural communication.
These include simplifying complex research findings for general audiences, countering misinformation and influencing stakeholders to take action.
Estareja explained that communicating agricultural science helps connect research findings with practical applications.
"Regardless of your field of study, as communicators, you can utilize your skills in popularizing research findings and innovative technologies in agriculture. This will help the general public appreciate agriculture more," she said.
Also introduced to the NEU students were SEARCA's communication strategies for disseminating agriculture breakthroughs, including public relations, publications and knowledge events.
Likewise discussed was the SEARCA Hub for Agriculture and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING) AgriMuseum and Café, as well as how grants support the dissemination of non-SEARCA agricultural research findings.
The students also toured the Sharing AgriMuseum and the SEARCA Sky Garden.
According to Estareja, SEARCA actively cultivates an appreciation and a deeper understanding of agriculture among the youth by opening its doors to students from basic, secondary and tertiary levels.
"These activities highlight the SEARCA's commitment to nurturing a new generation that recognizes the vital role of agriculture," she said.