CODTL Deputy Director Leads Training on Social Media for Sustainable Agriculture

Dr. Benigno B. Agapito Jr., Deputy Director for Educational Media Production at the UP Open University (UPOU) Center for Open and Digital Teaching and Learning (CODTL) and Program Chair of the Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies (BAMS) under the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS), was invited by the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to serve as Resource Speaker and Evaluator in a national training program focused on digital literacy, social media engagement, and policy advocacy. The training course, held as part of the Capstone Project titled “Social Media for Sustainable Agriculture: Enhancing Youth Engagement and Innovation,” took place from April 7 to 11, 2025, at the Travelite Hotel Legarda in Baguio City.

During the five-day workshop, Dr. Agapito facilitated two key sessions: Content Creation for Impact and Developing a Tailored Social Media Strategy. These sessions aimed to equip participants—particularly young stakeholders in the agriculture sector—with the skills to create meaningful content and implement effective digital campaigns that promote sustainable farming practices. His involvement reflects his professional expertise in media, communication, and development, as well as CODTL’s mission to support transformative learning through educational media production and innovation.

Following the workshop, participants were tasked to develop social media outputs based on the concepts and strategies discussed during the sessions. After a month of preparation, Asst. Prof. Agapito returned to Baguio City on 15-16 May 2025, to evaluate the participants’ outputs during the culminating presentation. The final activity showcased the participants’ creativity, strategic planning, and application of social media as a tool for advocacy and community engagement in agriculture.

This engagement reaffirmed Asst. Prof. Agapito’s commitment to knowledge sharing and interdisciplinary collaboration, while highlighting UPOU and CODTL’s contribution to national development through digital education and capacity building.