Camarines Sur Hosts National Agri Engineers Confab

PILI, Camarines Sur, April 20 (PNA) - Some 350 agricultural engineers from all over the country are gathered at the Camarines Sur State Agricultural College (CSSAC) here for the 59th Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers (PSAE) annual general convention scheduled April 20-24.

Engr. Nila B. Oñate, PSAE Bikol chapter president, said the week-long conference will highlight design contest of engineering innovations and inventions, job fair, trade matching, and presentation of technical papers on the latest developments in renewable energy and rural electrification; environmental and waste management; agricultural machinery; irrigation and drainage; soil and water conservation and a host of other topics.

The theme of this year's convention is "Strengthening the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Profession for Food, Water and Energy Security."

Oñate said the five-day nationwide gathering will also provide agricultural engineers with comprehensive up-to-date information on stronger institutional linkages, models and best practices in the area of human resources development.

Expected to attend the PSAE convention and give their messages of support are: Secretaries Arthur Yap (Agriculture); Angelo Reyes (Energy); Lito Atienza (Environment); Congressman Abraham Kahlil Mitra (chair, Congressional Committee on Agriculture); and Camarines Sur Governor LRay Villafuerte.

There are some 6,000 licensed agricultural engineers in the country, but less than 10 percent are active members of PSAE. (PNA)