PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia—Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), underscored the crucial role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in achieving food security and economic development, particularly in the post-pandemic era, at the Third International Food Research Conference (IFRC) 2024 held on 6–8 August 2024 at the Palm Garden Hotel.
With the theme "Sustainable Food Industry through Science, Technology, and Innovation," the conference gave food researchers the opportunity to exchange insights and discuss their findings and innovations centered on food. It covered sessions on food analysis, food safety and quality, food biotechnology, food chemistry and biochemistry, food security and sustainability, food packaging and shelf life, automation and digitalization, and novel and green technologies, among others.
At the session on food security and sustainability where Dr. Gregorio presented "Transforming the Landscape of Agricultural Research and Development in HEI: A New Chapter of Innovation and Resilience," he emphasized how the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the link between supply chains and people's consumption patterns.
"There's an urgent need to redefine agricultural systems as food systems," Dr. Gregorio said.
"The universities must take the necessary steps to achieve the development targets and ensure that food security aspirations are being met and will continue to be met in the future," he continued.
Dr. Gregorio called on HEIs to produce graduates with transformative mindsets who can navigate complex social issues and drive positive change both now and in the future. He further urged universities to harness research and innovation to develop new crop varieties, livestock breeds, and agricultural technologies, including water management, pest and disease control, weather forecasting, postharvest management, and food safety.
Furthermore, he outlined key priorities for transforming agricultural research and development in HEIs. These include creating an enabling environment for faculty and researchers by establishing multi- and interdisciplinary research centers. He also stressed the need to incentivize scientific productivity beyond mere publication by valuing the "5Ps": people, partnerships, patents, products, and profits.
He highlighted the importance of retraining faculty and researchers on intellectual property, patents, technology transfer, incubation, and entrepreneurship. Dr. Gregorio also pointed out the significance of increasing faculty and research grants in fostering industry and community engagement across the agricultural supply chain. Finally, he accentuated the need to reframe and adapt research projects in response to the pandemic.
SEARCA and the Universiti Putra Malaysia organized IFRC 2024, which attracted over 200 participants from 26 countries.