Bayer CropScience sowing seeds of youth's future

MANILA, Philippines - Rachel Ramos comes from a family of farmers. Her father is a farmer in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija who followed the footsteps of her grandfather. But for a family that has been burdened by high cost of farm inputs and only generating measly income from tilling the land they do not own, a new kind of sowing needs to be done. 

Rachel’s family is determined to send her through college. At this day and age, they recognized that finishing high school and relying solely on the farm would not be enough to give her better opportunities in the future. 

Having been exposed to the farm at an early age, she decided to take up a degree in Agriculture. She hopes that one day she will be able to support her family as well as educate farmers on the latest farming technology that will help them improve their yield. 

Rachel is one of the selected and deserving students that Bayer CropScience is supporting in the different parts of the country. As part of its corporate social responsibility, children of farmers who are taking up a degree in Agriculture can now have the chance of finishing college for free through the Bayer CropScience Scholarship Program. 

“The farmers are our direct partner that’s why we want to do something that would directly benefit them and their families on the long term. We are investing on the education of their children particularly those who are taking up Agriculture,” said Bayer CropScience Managing Director Hans Joaquim Wegfahrt. 

The scholarship covers the tuition fee, housing and book allowance and additional stipend.  

“Mahalagang mahalaga po para sakin yung scholarship kasi kung hindi po dito hindi po ako makakapag college. Mahirap po sa magulang ko kasi malimit kailangan pa nilang mangutang para sa pagpapaaral sa akin,” said Rachel who is now a second year student at Central Luzon State University. 

The program does not only aim to help deserving children of farmers to get through college but will also attract more young people to take up a degree in Agriculture. “Through the scholarship, we are hoping that more and more young people will be encouraged to take up Agriculture which is a step forward to improving the agriculture industry,” explained Ronald Arabit, Bayer CropScience product stewardship manager who oversees the scholarship program. 

The Bayer CropScience Scholarship program, which started in 2010 is now expanding to the different provinces in the country. Recently, Michelle Aleño, a student from Pampanga Agricultural College has been chosen by Bayer CropScience as the second recipient of the scholarship.  

Bayer CropScience has initiated talks with selected universities in the Visayas and Northern Luzon in its bid to increase the number of scholars for 2012. By the end of  2012, the plan is to have at least five scholars into the program. “We are grateful for the universities we are partnering with, as they conscientiously share their time, knowledge and expertise in setting up the programs in their schools,” Arabit adds.