The Agricultural Extention Service (SEA by its Spanish acronym) of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) and the Office for the Empowerment of Women (OPM) signed a collaborative agreement with the goal of guaranteeing cooperative links and integration that will provide educational tools, promote peace, justice, and equality among men and women.

Professor Luis Mejía Maymí, auxiliary dean of the Educational Program of the College of Agricultural Sciences of the UPRM, assured that the agreement would impact many people, among them, women participating in the Project for the Educational Initiative for Women in Agriculture of Puerto Rico.

“It will benefit thousands of women, especially those that work in the agricultural sector or in related areas and it will also benefit society in general.”

He added that one of the things that SEA will be working on is the creation of homemade orchards, which will be established in the facilities of community-based organizations, which are run by OPM.

The agreement was signed at the Eight Convention of the Rural Woman, which took place this past Wednesday, October 22, at the Bobby Cruz Convention Center in Hormigueros, with the theme Moving towards a New Reality. The activity was organized by the Corporation of Rural Development (CDR), joint agency of the Agricultural Department, with the idea of reviving the support for rural women, dedicated mostly to agriculture. Moreover, some of its other themes were the search for equal rights, accessibility of services and modern technology.

In attendance were agriculturists, housewives, youth, and leaders, people who receive assistance in 70 of the SEA offices throughout the Island, the faculty and students of the UPRM College of Agricultural Sciences.

From left to right: Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences (CCA by its Spanish acronym), doctor John Fernández Van Cleve; Associate Dean of Faculty, doctor Gladys González; and professor Luis Mejía Maymí, Auxilary Dean of the Educational Program of CCA, during the activity.

In customary order, doctor John Fernández Van Cleve; doctor Gladys González; UPRM Chancellor, doctor Jorge Iván Vélez Arocho; Agricultural Secretary, Gabriel Figueroa Herrera and Womens rights Attorney, Marta Mercado Sierra.

The agreement was signed at the Eigth Convention for the Rural Woman that was carried out in the Hormigueros Convention Center.

Courtesy photos