Agritechnovation Hub and Smart Knowledge Processing Outsourcing (Kpo) Ecozone Masterplan Design Potentiality at Isabela State University Matusalem, Roxas, Isabela

Abstract

This study seeks the potentiality of an Agritechnovation Hub and Smart Knowledge, Processing and Outsourcing (KPO) Center as a Knowledge, Innovation, Science and Technology (KIST) ecozone development through combining technology and agriculture as an innovation. As universities are dispersed around the Special Economic Zone, students’ knowledge levels will rise and job chances will increase. Rapid urbanization among major cities in the Philippines created so much congestion and exceeded it carrying capacity to provide proper housing and social services to its residents. The cost of living in cities is highly expensive and most of the graduates from the countryside add up to its overcrowding due to lack of opportunity. The Special Economic Zone’s goal to move developments in the provinces is of good help to decongest Urbanized cities and give more opportunities to graduates in the provinces. Roxas Isabela has idle lands and the need to develop a Land Use Development Plan is needed that is why the Agritechnovation Hub and KPO center as a KIST Park is proposed to utilize this idle land in compliance with the LUDIP Act. This study, clearly shows that KPO centers are needed gaining 32.2% agreeing to have a KIST development in the area Moreover it revealed that (15.25%) of the respondents wanted to have agriculture as its major component Lastly, Education comes with 13.56% out which means that these three components are the strength of campus for a synergistic activity between the industry partners through research and development. It is also concluded that Agriculture through technology in research and development can create a wide array of opportunities for local and international economic growth and capacity building among the people.