#ShapedbyCSU: CAA faculty on international studies, agriculture, and embracing hardships
Caraga State University is committed to producing graduates who are value creators, excelling not only in the country but globally. Exemplifying this goal is Associate Professor John Mark Ramada, a faculty member of the College of Agriculture and Agri-Industries (CAA), who is pursuing his doctoral degree in Animal Science at Kasetsart University, Thailand’s first and largest agricultural school renowned worldwide.
“Competence is fitting as a core value of CSU,” he shared. “I am not the smartest nor the brightest. But my academic training prepared me to sit down and go along with fellow foreign students.”
Ramada’s interest in agriculture hatched while taking his bachelor’s degree in Animal Science at CSU. It was further enriched through his Master of Science degree in the same field at Central Mindanao University. In 2018, he also immersed in the Netherlands, maximizing a 9-month scholarship for the International Diploma in Pig Husbandry and Animal Feed at Aeres Training Centre International (ATCI), funded by NUFFIC under the Orange Knowledge Program (OKP).
He exemplifies that, “CSU graduates can definitely compete abroad.” Importantly, that learning should be regarded as a lifelong journey.
High regard for learning and teaching
As Stephen Hawking once said, “It is very important for young people to keep their sense of wonder and keep asking why.” Inspired by this, Mr. Ramada reflected that “No matter the field or program we pursue, we have to be curious because it is what will lead us to investigate and explore. It ignites us to seek answers and ask questions,” he said.
Just like other professionals, Ramada persists in enhancing his understanding of his field for practice and teaching. This is the reason why he constantly “looks beyond theories and seeks to apply science to the ground” through education and immersive training, which was shaped consistently since studying at CSU.
Before college, he was undecided about which program to take. He took inspiration from his older brother, who was pursuing AnSci and enrolled in 2007. Although he paused for a semester due to financial constraints, he went back in 2008 to pursue the degree.
“I started to love the program [BSA AnSci]. I had a little background and idea of its career path, but my education at CSU helped me understand animal science on a deeper level. [That] it looks at the bigger picture – encompassing breeding, feeding, producing and sustaining animal production.”
Upon passing the licensure for agriculturists in 2012, Ramada joined the university and has been teaching for almost 13 years now. He specializes in animal nutrition for monogastric animals or those with simple stomachs. His teaching principle is to guide the learners to understand the value of the course when applied in the industry. He makes sure that the students are exposed to the actual fieldwork, as influenced by his previous training, notably in the Netherlands where the emphasis was learning by doing, with additional learning experiences at leading schools and centers, as well as excursions in Germany and Belgium.
Embracing difficulties
At Kasetsart University, Ramada is currently the only foreign student in the Department of Animal Science at the Bangkhen Campus. Enduring on his own is not new to him. During his short course in the Netherlands, only two (2) Filipinos secured the scholarship, joining more than 30 foreign students from 15 countries in the competitive program.
He shared that effective communication and email correspondence were among his advantages in securing the opportunity. Additionally, his strong motivation, perseverance, and dedication to his field played a significant role in securing the scholarship. However, Ramada understands that enduring challenges and difficulties are defaults in life and facing them is how one learns and grows.
“It gets difficult, but that is exactly the point,” opened Ramada. “Studying abroad is never easy. You have to adjust to everything, and there are a lot of challenges. But if I have successfully hurdled difficult subjects before, I have confidence that I can overcome the next.”
There are times when the pressure catches up on him, and he thinks about going back to the Philippines, as he jokingly puts it. However, he is reminded that opportunities to study abroad are rare, and to be granted such is his biggest opportunity, especially since he is under the advisory of an experienced and top animal nutritionist in the country for his dissertation.
His mantra is: “Life full of challenges is life full of meaning,” recognizing that challenges are what make life worthwhile. The support from his family encourages him to continue his endeavors, and the fact that the agriculture sector in the country needs more assistance motivates him to contribute more upon return.
Passion for agriculture
“Agriculture is often one of the misunderstood sectors,” lamented Ramada. “For many, it has little value because the narrative is ‘a person who does not have what it takes [in life], can be a farmer.’ That’s how inferior they see the field, but the reality is far more complex.”
Ramada emphasizes that the agriculture sector is more important than acknowledged. He cited the demand for food during the Coronavirus pandemic, which highlighted the crucial role of farmers. “They are frontliners, as well. As the saying goes, farmers are the heartbeat of the world.”
Admittedly, he recognizes that the agricultural landscape needs assistance, especially in the region. “There are gaps in livestock, poultry, and feed production.” This drive comes from the belief that farmers have huge potential if capacitated appropriately. “I believe that farmers are capable of self-sustenance. But they have to be trained and capacitated to sustain their production. Then, they will not rely much on the government because they can produce and buy their own supplies.”
For Ramada, science is meaningless if not translated to the field—the real world. This is what inspires him to learn more and see where he can fill in. For his dissertation, he is investigating the precise dose of liquid methionine as a supplement and amino acid source for broiler chickens. While both dry and liquid forms of methionine are available on the market, there is an ongoing debate as to the ideal source and level of supplementation to achieve optimum results. His study aims to address this gap in knowledge.
As a faculty of CAA, they “do not stop teaching in the classrooms. We also have extension programs.” With the growing knowledge base of the college, he sees more initiatives in the future that will strengthen the sector, such as shaping capable new breeds of agriculturists who will continue the mission.
“We always tell them [the students] to take the challenge of helping the farmers and the industry in any way they can when they graduate,” he added.
Passing the challenge
“Taking up BS Agriculture is a challenge. Imagine reviewing six subjects for the board examinations. But I tell my students: if you find a subject challenging, read the dusty books in the library. If you want to succeed in your profession, embrace the challenges that come with it,” advised Ramada.
“The established academic standards at CSU contributed to me succeeding and completing my studies, especially in the Netherlands,” he continued. “It was helpful in terms of communication and understanding the discussions.”
From attaining an exceptional academic track to sustaining learning here and abroad and pushing for agricultural development, it all boils down to embodying the core values of the university: Competence, Service, and Uprightness, which shaped Ramada as a persevering Golden Paddler with much regard for higher learning. According to him, these values prepare the students to excel wherever they end up.
Ramada has two and a half more years —“still a long way to go”—in his doctorate studies. But despite the struggles and challenges, he remains the determination high, as “this is how life teaches us great lessons. Otherwise, we will have no development.”
