NMC-CREES launches Agrowacademy 

07/16/2025 - Northern Marianas College’s Cooperative Research, Extension, and Education Services is offering a new course in Regenerative Agroforestry as part of what they’re calling Agrowacademy. It comes at a time when the CNMI imports 90% of its food.

According to NMC, Agrowcademy is a certification program designed specifically for our CNMI communities that teaches regenerative agricultural practices. Dr. Craig Elevitch, who has over 30 years of direct experience in the field, will be the lead instructor.

“Over the course of 10 Saturday sessions held over 10 weeks, participants will learn how to plan, install, and maintain a farm and home food forests; assess sites; reduce chemical inputs; and improve food security for home and/or commercial use,” NMC said.

Organizers told MP that participants will learn how to: assess their site, design regenerative food forests, apply techniques like mulching and cover cropping, and safely use hand and power tools for planting, harvesting, and maintaining food forest systems.

The course starts on August 2 and continues through September. It will be held every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. There is an $800 fee to participate. However, if selected, participants may apply for funding through NMC-CREES NextGen to cover a portion or the full cost of participation.

For more information about Agrowcademy, you can contact Jesse Deleon Guerrero at (670) 237-6876 or jesse.dlguerrero@marianas.edu.

Report by Thomas Manglona II