BCU Graduate Rejects Job Hunt, Chooses Farming

Jackson P. Flomo, a 2025 agriculture graduate of Bong County University (BCU), has returned from an 11-month agricultural training program in Israel, and has chosen farming over the traditional pursuit of formal employment.

Flomo, who graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in General Agriculture, recently completed intensive practical training at the Avara International Center for Agricultural Training (AICAT) in Israel. The program exposed him to modern agricultural production techniques, irrigation management, greenhouse farming, crop cultivation, agribusiness, post-harvest handling, and sustainable farming practices. Rather than returning to wait for a government, or private-sector job, Flomo has established a vegetable farm in the Iron Gate Community of Gbarnga, Bong County. His farm currently produces lettuce, squash, hot peppers, radishes, tomatoes, and other vegetables, while he continues to expand the production area.

Flomo’s decision represents a direct shift from the conventional expectation that university graduates must first secure formal employment before putting their education to work.

For him, agriculture is not simply an academic discipline, or a means of seeking employment. He views it as a business opportunity capable of producing food, generating income, and potentially creating jobs for other young people.

Flomo’s agricultural journey began at the institution formerly known as Bong County Technical College, where he pursued studies in agriculture before the institution became Bong County University. His academic foundation was later strengthened by the practical experience he gained in Israel through AICAT’s “Learning by Doing” approach.

At the training center, Flomo worked alongside experienced agricultural practitioners, and gained firsthand knowledge of modern farming methods, and efficient production systems.

Since returning home, he has been applying those lessons directly to his own farm, spending long hours cultivating crops, managing production, and clearing additional land for expansion.

Flomo’s experience is also being viewed as an example of the potential impact of agricultural education at BCU. The university’s agriculture program aims to equip students with knowledge, and practical skills that can contribute to address challenges, such as, food insecurity, youth unemployment, and low agricultural productivity.

His decision to establish a farm demonstrates how graduates can transform education, and international exposure into practical economic activity.