SEARCA News

The 2024 Science Film Festival, organized by the Goethe Institut and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) College of Development Communication (CDC) - Department of Science Communication, featured the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)'s Sowing Seeds: Cultivating Youth's Future in Agriculture. Sowing Seeds is a career orientation initiative aimed at encouraging Southeast Asian youth to engage in agriculture. It was implemented through SEARCA's Partnerships Unit (PU) as part of the Center's Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation (#Y4AGRI) program. Four Sowing Seeds sessions held on 11–12 December 2024 at the SEARCA Drilon… Read more

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN), in line with the commitment to advance sustainable agricultural practices and improving food and nutritional security in Cambodia, conducted a training program on Sustainable Food Production and Basic Food Processing on 26–28 November 2024 at the CE SAIN Office in the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA). It was attended by 22 participants, comprising agricultural coordinators and agricultural extension officers of the Agricultural Technology Parks (ATPs), teachers, school heads, and principals… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has conducted a training program on sustainability for stakeholders of the School Edible Landscaping for Entrepreneurship (SEL4E) in Rizal Province. This initiative aims to enhance the capabilities of educators and technical personnel from municipal and barangay levels, promote collaboration among local government units (LGUs) and partner agencies, and advocate for sustainable agricultural practices through school and home gardening. Such efforts aim to establish a more resilient food system, improve nutrition, and generate entrepreneurial opportunities. The training was participated in by twenty-four (24) participants, comprising teachers… Read more

Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), was the speaker during the Sustainability Series webinar titled Farming: A Poor Man's Job? Motioned to Change the Perspective of Students on Farming, held on 29 November 2024 via Zoom. Organized by the League of Warriors, a student organization of the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU)-Laguna, the webinar was attended by LPU-Laguna students. The webinar highlighted the role of agriculture in society and showcased the field as a dynamic and rewarding career option to inspire the students to appreciate and… Read more

TAIPEI, Taiwan—Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam, Deputy Director for Programs of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), underscored the Center's dedication to advancing sustainable agricultural development during the Taiwan-Asia Vegetable Initiative (TAsVI) Seed Homecoming Ceremony held in Taipei on 3 December 2024. The event highlighted the collaborative efforts of national genebanks in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia, alongside the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute and the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg), to protect and effectively manage Southeast Asia's vegetable biodiversity. The TAsVI project aims to create a robust platform for the rescue, conservation, and… Read more

TAYABAS CITY, Quezon – As part of the "Development of Coconut Industry Growth Areas in the Province of Quezon" project, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) organized an exposure and learning trip (Lakbay Aral) for Quezon coconut farmers to visit lambanog processing sites in Tayabas City. Lambanog is a traditional liquor made from distilling fermented coconut sap. The activity aimed to improve the farmers' skills and knowledge in value-addition, specifically in lambanog production. Twenty farmers from the municipalities of Catanauan, Lopez, Candelaria, and Sariaya participated in the activity. They learned about the different… Read more

The CE SAIN-SEARCA Joint International Conference 2024: The Fourth International Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (SAIN4) and the Third School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement Enterprise (SHGBEE3) Conference is set to take place on 19–22 November 2024 in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This year's theme is "Harnessing synergies of sustainable agriculture and biodiversity towards food and nutrition security and improved livelihoods." Organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) together with the Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN), the SAIN4-SHGBEE3 Joint International Conference 2024 aims to provide a… Read more