SEARCA News

NUEVA ECIJA, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), commissioned by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) of the Philippines to implement the project Market-Oriented Agri-Technology and Agri-Extension Services under the Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS), has been providing technical assistance to seven Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBOs) in Nueva Ecija to improve their productivity and jumpstart their entrepreneurial activities. This was done by providing strategic subsidies in the form of agri-technology and agri-extension services, particularly on the proper use of common service facilities (CSFs) or farm equipment… Read more

MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno S. Aquino III conferred the Order of National Scientist on Dr. Ramon C. Barba, recipient of the 2011 Dioscoro L. Umali Achievement Award in Agricultural Development, and three other Filipino scientists who have done trailblazing work in various fields of science and technology, making significant contributions to the country’s development and to humankind as a whole. The ceremony was held on 12 August 2014 in Malacañang… Read more

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — “What you have is a knowledge building process, what you will gather, integrate it and share it especially among your stakeholders in the communities,” Commissioner Heherson T. Alvarez of the Climate Change Commission emphasized in his message during the formal launching of the project Technical Assistance (TA) on Climate Resilience and Green Growth in Critical Watersheds held last 6 August 2014 at the SEAMEO Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology (INNOTECH)… Read more

NUEVA ECIJA, Philippines – SEARCA conducted the fourth training course on Business Proposal Preparation as part of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-funded project titled, Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS) on 24 July 2014 at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), Muñoz, Nueva Ecija… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines – SEARCA in collaboration with the College of Economics and Management (CEM), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) wrapped up its short course titled “Food supply chains and logistics” held on 21-25 July 2014. The five-day short course was bannered by Dr. Reiner Doluschitz and Dr. Christa Hoffmann both from the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany who served as the resource speakers for the five-day training course… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines – Rice is the most important food crop in the Philippines. It is the staple food item in the diet of about 80 percent of the Filipinos, and the value of its annual production is close to PHP 2 billion. According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), from the 5.4 million hectares of arable land in the country, 81 percent (4.4 million hectares) is devoted to rice production. It also provides livelihood to more than two million households, along with millions of farm laborers and tens of thousands of dealers and traders. Thus, the Philippine rice… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines - For the first time, SEARCA collaborated with sister Center, the Regional Language Center (RELC) for the English Training Course for new SEARCA scholars held from 29 July to 1 August 2014 at the SEARCA headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines… Read more

In an effort to increase awareness and understanding of the work and output of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) particularly the 5th Assessment Report or AR5, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) in coordination with the IPCC organized a series of outreach activities in Southeast Asia. The Philippine leg of the roadshow, which was held at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City on 8-9 July 2014, brought together around 200 representatives from government agencies, NGOs, climate practitioners, climate experts, academe, research institutions, civil society, business sector and members from local media in order to present the key findings of… Read more

AUSTRALIA – Six officials and a technical adviser of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) took part in a study mission in Australia from 29 June until 10 July 2014 to observe and closely study various ways of genetic improvement of livestock, enterprise development/venture partnerships for livestock, R&D programs on livestock, and policies/regulatory and management framework of livestock development. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) coordinated the study mission through the Training Unit of its Knowledge Management Department (TU-KMD)… Read more

JAKARTA, Indonesia – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) presented its accomplishments and outputs in research and development, technical assistance, capacity building, and knowledge management from 2006 to 2014 in a meeting of the Steering Committee of the ASEAN Multisectoral Framework on Climate Change (AFCC): Focus on Agriculture and Forestry for Food Security on 2 July 2014 at the headquarters of the ASEAN Secretariat… Read more