SEARCA News

Twenty-three homeschoolers from the ACTS Center, along with their parents and guardians, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 15 November 2023 to learn about agri-robotics. They were accompanied by ACTS Center Community Directress Elizabeth Lim Yao. Assoc. Prof. Joselito Florendo, SEARCA deputy director for administration, emphasized the vital role of agriculture to all individuals, including children. He highlighted its contributions to their daily necessities like food, clothing, and shelter. Ms. Yao, on the other hand, expressed her gratitude to SEARCA for giving the students an opportunity to engage in agri-robotics through… Read more

Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), served as one of the plenary speakers during Session 1 of the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences (ISSAAS) International Scientific Congress and General Meeting 2023 held on 8–10 November 2023. With the theme, "Integrated Management of Southeast Asian Agricultural Landscapes," the congress spotlighted food security, soil and water conservation, climate resilience, and market systems and initiatives. In his presentation titled "Transforming Agricultural Education in the Era of the 4th Industrial Revolution," Dr. Gregorio emphasized the significance of capacitating the… Read more

Officers and members of the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences (ISSAAS)-Malaysian Chapter and the Agricultural Institute of Malaysia (AIM) paid a courtesy visit to the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 11 November 2023. The ISSAAS-Malaysian Chapter delegation was led by its treasurer, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norida Mazlan of the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), while the AIM delegation was led by its president, Prof. Dato’ Dr. Abdul Shukor Juraimi, also from UPM. The visitors were oriented on the Center's mandate, programs, and offerings, particularly the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate… Read more

Fully committed to continuing the delivery of credible, science-based information on agricultural biotechnology, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) together with the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) and other partner organizations, will take part in the celebration of the 19th National Biotechnology Week (NBW) on 20–24 November 2023 in Cebu, Philippines. In his message for the NBW celebration, SEARCA Center Director Dr. Glenn Gregorio said that this year's theme, "Empowering Innovation for Sustainable Future through Biotechnology," reflects SEARCA's direction to move beyond the comfort zone and find new and innovative ways to meet… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), through its Partnerships Unit (PU), conducted the second activity under its Green Skills for SEARCA Youth program from 23 October to 6 November 2023 in line with the celebration of this year's International Youth Day (IYD). The program kicked off with the community relations and agripreneurship immersion activity conducted by PU with Dagatan Family Farm School, Inc. (DFFS) on 31 August 2023 in Lipa City, Batangas, and relaunched the SEARCA Youth Ambassadors Platform (SAYAP), the Center's internal youth empowerment platform for young SEARCA staff. Continuing the efforts… Read more

The Second International Conference on School plus Home Garden cum Biodiversity Enhancement Enterprise (SHGBEE2) is set for 14-17 November 2023 in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has partnered with the Central Philippines State University and the Kansas State University to convene SHGBEE2, which springs from a shared vision of attaining food and nutrition security while promoting sustainable agriculture and restoring biodiversity. Over a hundred teachers and researchers from local schools, state universities and colleges and other higher education institutions; policymakers from local government units and personnel from… Read more

TAIPEI, Taiwan—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) reaffirmed its commitment in furthering agricultural development in Southeast Asia by renewing its partnership with the National Taiwan University (NTU) International College for the Global Agriculture Technology and Genomic Science (Global ATGS) program on 31 October 2023. The NTU-SEARCA Joint Scholarship Program for Global ATGS aims to empower Southeast Asian scholars by pursuing graduate studies under the Master Program in Global ATGS. Conducted in English, the program has a comprehensive curriculum on smart farming technology, genome science research, and breeding science and technology. The program's multidisciplinary… Read more

The 36th Executive Board Meeting of the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) took place on 30-31 October 2023 and was hosted by the National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan. Delegates from regular member institutions attended the meeting including Kasetsart University (KU) in Thailand, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), IPB University (IPB), and Universitas Brawijaya (UB) all from Indonesia, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), and University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). The meeting also extended invitations to the two UC Associate Members, Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI) in Japan and the National Taiwan… Read more

Mr. Vassily Carantino, chief executive officer, and Mr. James Hastwell, chief technology officer, both of CarbonFarm, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 26 October 2023 to discuss their monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) initiatives and explore potential collaboration opportunities. Accompanying them was Mr. Craig Jamieson, director and founder of Straw Innovations Ltd. CarbonFarm is a French climate-tech startup established in 2022, which harnesses satellite imagery and artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor and certify decarbonization projects. They have worked with academic and research institutions, such as Cornell University, the European Space Agency… Read more

SIEM REAP, Cambodia—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), one of the 26 specialist institutions of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), convened its 71st Governing Board Meeting (GBM) on 2 October 2023. This year's GBM, which took place at the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia, marked a significant milestone for the Center as it was the first time after five years that the meeting was held outside the country. The meeting opened with welcome remarks from Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Center Director, which set the tone… Read more