The recently launched Farmers´ Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center of the Benguet State University is housed at the Research and Extension Building . The launching last September 18, 2007 was attended by HARRDEC officials, BSU Faculty and Staff, member agency representatives, and farmers attending the Hands-on Training on Natural Farming Systems.

     Dr. Julia A. Solimen, Regional Applied Communication Project (RACP) coordinator at HARRDEC and the BSU Director for Extension and Training Services welcomed the guests. Regional Techno-Gabay Coordinator at HARRDEC and Baguio National Crops Research and Development Center (BNCRDC)-BPI Research coordinator, Dr. Teresita K. Mangili presented the FITS and the Farmer Scientist Bureau (FSB) programs under the Techno-Gabay Program of HARRDEC and PCARRD.

     The FITS Centers also called " Techno Pinoy Center " are strategically located nationwide accessible to farmers. HARRDEC which is the regional consortium serving the Cordillera Administrative Region has 13 FITS center and aims to open more FITS centers in the five provinces and one city of the region. The FITS Center promotes the utilization of agri-based technologies, strengthens marketing linkages and reinforces linkages between agriculture, industry, and service sectors in the region. It intends to: fast-track the delivery of technologies to the clientele; FITS centers in the provinces assist clients access technologies and information on agriculture and other related fields; promote cooperation among member-agencies in planning and implementing collaborative development projects; improve a two-way feedback mechanism from the technology users to the RDE workers and communication, and; institutionalize the FITS concept as a technology promotion strategy.

     To attain these objectives, the FITS Centers promotes the conduct of pest, production, and post-production clinic, exhibits, fairs; conduct trainings, fora, Lakbay Aral; and, facilitates availability of quality planting materials/animal stocks.

     The FITS Center is manned by a FITS Manager, the Municipal Agricultural Officer (MAO) for LGU -based FITS Center and the Extension/Research Director for SUC- based FITS Center ; an Information Service Specialist (ISS); and a Technology Service Specialist (TSS). Dr. Julia Solimen is the Manager of the BSU FITS Center ; while the core of various subject matter specialists at BSU will be tapped.

     Dr. Sonwright B. Maddul, the Consortium Director and BSU's Vice President for Research and Extension said in his message that BSU has satisfied the requirement as FITS Center , and that the FITS Center will strengthen BSU's extension services in the dessimination and utilization of the generated technologies. In his closing remarks, BSU's Director for Research Services Dr. Carlito P. Laurean said that the establishment of a FITS Center at BSU is a dream come true. Other SUCs in CAR like ASSIST in Lagangilang, Abra; ASC in Conner, Apayao; ISCAF in Nayon, Ifugao; and KASC in Bulanao, Kalinga have their own FITS Center .

     The Center has a TV set with a player, tapes on agricultural production (crop, livestock, and fisheries), computer connected to the internet services of the university, references and other related reading materials, and accessibility to the researchers who generated the technologies.