SEARCA News

Another SEARCA alumnus has been appointed as a university chief executive in Indonesia. Prof. Dr. M. Maksum Mahfoedz (PhD and MS Agricultural Engineering, 1985-1989, 1982-1985) was officially sworn in as the new Rector of the University of Nahdlatul Ulama (UNU) Indonesia by General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Prof. Dr. KH Said Aqil Siroj on 10 July 2015. The elected rector Prof. Dr. Maksum said he envisions UNU Indonesia to become an outstanding university and the melting pot for the academic world, Islam, nationality, and struggle. “My attitude is sami'na wa atho'na, and will manage the UNU Indonesia based on the… Read more

Following the signing of the Nagoya University (NU)-SEARCA Joint PhD Research Scholarship in Agriculture in March 2015, two Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) officials have been awarded the said scholarships to finish their PhD at the Nagoya University Satellite Campus for Bio-agricultural Sciences based at the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia… Read more

The Congressional Committee on Higher and Technical Education (CHTE) chaired by Hon. Roman T. Romulo of the Philippines House of Representatives has invited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) to its 39th Regular Meeting held on 18 August 2015 to advise on House Resolution 589 which urges the conduct of an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the decreasing number of licensed agriculturists and students who are pursuing a career in agriculture with the end view of addressing the same in order to maintain the country’s rice sufficiency… Read more

“What is equity and how is it different from equality? Why should we care about equity?”, Mr. Ronnakorn Triraganon, Manager, Capacity Development and Technical Services, RECOFTC- The Center for People and Forests, triggered a discussion which highlighted the importance of equity, what it is all about and how to put it into proper perspective. This took place during the 2nd ASEAN-Swiss Partnership on Social Forestry and Climate Change (ASFCC) Learning Group (LG) Workshop held in Krabi, Thailand from 17-20 August 2015… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the members of the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (University Consortium) have collaborated on a research project entitled “Food Reserves: A Comparative Study on Food Reserve Management and Policies in Southeast Asia.” This initiative is in line with SEARCA’s umbrella program on Food and Nutrition Security for Southeast Asia 2014-2019, which has also been adopted by the University Consortium since August 2014… Read more

NADI, Fiji – Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit, Jr., Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), attended the 7th Regional Policy Dialogue (RPD-7) and the 20th Regular Meeting of the Governing Council (GC-20) of the Centre of Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) held here on 17-21 August 2015… Read more

SELANGOR, Malaysia – The ASEAN Social Forestry Network Strategic Response Fund (ASRF) successfully completed its target of conducting four Proposal Development Assistance (PDA) activities after the recent workshop held at the Forest Training Division of the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia in Kepong on 11-13 August 2015. Similar workshops were held in Lao PDR, Indonesia, and Myanmar earlier this year. The PDA workshops aimed to assist ASEAN Member States (AMS) in developing project proposals that would respond to the needs of the ASEAN Social Forestry Network (ASFN) Focal Points in addressing emerging issues related to social forestry in their respective countries… Read more

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia – The Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (University Consortium) champions collaborative research and development on food and nutrition security and climate change adaptation and mitigation for an inclusive and sustainable agricultural and rural development (ISARD) in the region… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines – Projects focused on improving production of organic vegetables won the Research and Development (R&D) awards given by the Philippine Agriculture and Resources Research Foundation, Inc. (PARRFI) here last August 14… Read more

SELANGOR, Malaysia – The Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) opened its doors to more than 40 graduate students, faculty, and officials from the five university consortium members of the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) for the “1st University Consortium Graduate Forum on Life Science, Food Science, and Agriculture” (UCGF 2015) on 11-12 August 2015… Read more