Monsanto addresses MSU students on global agri, food sustainability

Recognizing that investing in the youth is not only necessary but also has immeasurable returns, Monsanto Philippines recently engaged 866 university students from the Mindanao State University (MSU) in a fruitful dialogue on sustainability, food, partnerships, and career building at a seminar on ‘Monsanto and the Work that We Do’ held at the MSU gymnasium.
The Monsanto Philippines Team of Cherie Ocampo , Human Resources Lead; Gabby Romero, Regulatory Affairs Lead; Jorgen Abellera, Corn Breeder and Plant Pathology Lead for Asia Pacific and Chat Ocampo Corporate Engagement Lead exchanged perspectives with MSU students and faculty members on the challenges and solutions to achieve global food and agriculture sustainability; the role of farmers, better seeds, plant biotechnology products and crop management practices to produce better food using fewer natural resources; the need for new partnerships especially public-private sector partnerships; and the purpose-filled personal development opportunities of working in a company like Monsanto.
Ocampo underscored how Monsanto values diversity and inclusiveness so that the contribution of every single member of the organization is recognized for maximum and wholistic impact.
Campaign Sales Executive and MSU alumna, Aireen Gile, inspired the students with her talk on how her work at Monsanto has provided her with the tools to make a significant contribution to society and make her reach greater even heights both at the personal and professional levels.
MSU faculty, students and staff members actively asked questions. MSU College of Agriculture Dean Helen Perpetua thanked Monsanto for conducting the seminar saying that the young people are catalysts for economic growth and development. Dean Perpetual also said she looked forward “to a fruitful partnership with Monsanto in providing opportunities for the Filipino youth, especially in Mindanao.”
Ocampo also encouraged the university students to share any useful information which they got from the seminar to their network of family and friends.
“We recognize that social media tools are becoming the most popular way to instantaneously reach the young generation,” Ocampo said. “This seminar will have more value if you can share what you have learned from this seminar via Facebook, Twitter, blogs and YouTube if you have these accounts.”