news

The 3rd Summer School of the Master of Science for Food Security and Climate Change (MS FSCC), organized by 4 universities in Southeast Asia and Searca (see news 15/09/2019) around the theme "Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems in Vulnerable Areas", ended on 31 July 2019. 

44 participants from 17 European countries and Southeast Asia gathered at the University of Los Banos (Philippines) during the first week and then at Camarine Sur (southern Luzon Island) for a second week of a diagnostic exercise. 

During the closing ceremony, the students presented the results of their study to the partners they met during the diagnosis: farmers, processors, cooperatives, local authorities.  

Excerpts from testimonies collected on site by Lynda Ihadjadene, Project Manager (Agreenium)

Dr. Edna A. Aguilar, Director of the Institute of Crop Sciences, College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS), UPLB, organizer of the summer school: "Today we are in globalized food systems, these exchanges allow us to better understand where the levers are to promote the integration of our farmers into this market, by ensuring them a fair remuneration, this is an issue for us today, and I believe that the summer school has allowed students to touch this reality". 

Didier Pillot, project coordinator for Montpellier SupAgro: "The summer school has two objectives, to work with students and to immerse them in an international context. In this respect, this summer school was a perfect example of success, as exchanges between students were encouraged, as well as contacts with farmers, particularly with their stay with local residents. It went very well and everyone came out satisfied. Nevertheless, with a group of 44 students, it was more difficult for the organizers to put them in a situation of complete autonomy with regard to the analysis methods envisaged. But the students' confrontation in the field was already a major challenge and I think it was well met.

Rosawadee Sukkum, a Thai student from Kasetsart University: "The group work pushed us to share our experiences, our knowledge and finally to gain experience from our different points of view". 

Jairus Jesse M. Tubal, a Filipino student at Central Luzon State University: "I had the feeling that I really contributed to scientific expertise through the different types of studies carried out (interviews, soil and landscape analysis). I also really liked the multidisciplinary approach. 

Learn more about the project

Read the interview

The event page

In the photo from left to right: Jairus Jesse M. Tubal, Filipino student at Central Luzon State University; Rosawadee Sukkum, Thai student at Kasetsart University; Dr. Maria Cristeta N. Cuaresma ( SEARCA); Dr. Edna A. Aguilar, Director of the Institute of Crop Sciences, College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS), UPLB; Didier Pillot, Project Coordinator for Montpellier SupAgro.