SEARCA News

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines – In a bid to strengthen the agriculture and fisheries technology-based enterprises in the country, findings and recommendations of the assessment study conducted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on the Technology Business Incubation Program of the Philippine Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) were presented on 20 January 2023 at the SEARCA Umali Auditorium. Hosted by SEARCA’s Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD), the event was graced by key representatives of the DA-BAR led by Director Joell H. Lales as well as members of the… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) signed a Letter of Agreement (LOA) on 14 February 2023 at the Palms Country Club, Muntinlupa, Philippines. Under the agreement, SEARCA and PSFI will implement the School Edible Landscaping for Entrepreneurship (SEL4E) Project in Rizal, Philippines together with the Synergy Group Operations, Inc. (SGOI). "Working with academe and research institutions like SEARCA is a great way of ensuring that we have the latest technologies and modalities in terms of what we can provide to our beneficiaries," said Mr. Sebastian Quiniones, Jr.… Read more

The Philippines, through the Department of Education (DepEd), hosted the 52nd Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council Conference on 8-9 February 2023 at EDSA Shangrila Plaza. Led by DepEd, the conference saw the turnover of the SEAMEO Council (SEAMEC) Presidency from Singapore to the Philippines, with Her Excellency Vice President and Secretary of DepEd Sara Z. Duterte assuming the presidency.   The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) is the mother organization of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).   The SEAMEO SEARCA delegation was led by Dr. Glenn Gregorio… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in partnership with the World Bank (WB) will conduct its second Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) for Fiscal Year 2022/2023 on 16 February 2023, with a discussion on the climate impacts on agriculture. The presentation on the Philippine Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) in the ADSS will be presented by Dr. Stefano Pagiolo, WB Senior Environmental Economist, and by Dr. Souleymane Coulibaly, WB Lead Economist and Program Leader for Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions Practice Group for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand. Dr. Glenn Gregorio… Read more

MakilingTek, a spin-off company of UPLB researchers, has built a facility for the semi-commercial scale production of the plant growth stimulant called HormoGroe™. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) granted construction funds for the pilot plant at the UPLB Science and Technology Park in Los Baños, Laguna. MakilingTek President Dr. Lilia Fernando said HormoGroe™ is a “locally developed solution that can increase the yields and profits of farmers. With the pilot plant, we will be able to produce more, resulting in more farmers benefiting.  We are moving steps away from doing research for academic and promotional purposes… Read more

Bulacan Agricultural State College (BASC) officials led by University President Dr. Jameson Tan, paid a courtesy call to Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Director, during their visit to Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines on 17 January 2023. They were received by Dr. Gregorio; Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam, SEARCA Deputy Director for Programs; Assoc. Prof. Joselito Florendo, SEARCA Deputy Director for Administration; Dr. Maria Cristeta Cuaresma, Senior Program Head, Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD); Dr. Nova Ramos, Head, ECLD-Training for Development Unit (T4DU); Ms. Sharon A. Malaiba, Head, Partnerships Unit (PU); and Ms. Beatrisa L… Read more

Ms. Leah Lyn Domingo, Public Relations Specialist, Partnerships Unit of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) was among the recipients of the much-prestigious 2022/2023 Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Service Award (SSA). The awarding ceremony was held during the 52nd SEAMEO Council (SEAMEC) Conference in Edsa Shangri-La, Manila, Philippines on 8-9 February 2023. The SSA is given biennially to recognize exemplary staff of each SEAMEO center and unit who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in their work performance, innovation and creativity, professionalism, and commitment that contribute to the success of the organization… Read more

Rizal, Philippines – A scoping activity for the School Edible Landscaping for Entrepreneurship (SEL4E) Project was conducted on 31 January - 3 February 2023 in the Province of Rizal. Eleven schools from seven municipalities were visited by key staff of SEARCA’s Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD) and Training for Development Unit (T4DU), the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg) of Rizal, and the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division Office (SDO) of Rizal. SEL4E is an offshoot project of SEARCA’s prior project titled, “A Participatory Action Research on School and Community-based Food and Nutrition Program for Literacy, Poverty Reduction, and… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has revealed the winners of the 2022 SEARCA Photo Contest themed “Emerging Agricultural Innovations for the Next Generation.” The top three prizes went to pictures of innovation in planting crops, while images showing various technology used in agricultural activities were selected for the special awards. Six of the seven winners are Filipino and one is Vietnamese. The competition searched for images that depict technologies and innovation that are modernizing and transforming agriculture and rural development towards increased food supply and security. The first prize winner is a… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED), conducted an in-person Training Course on Research Designs and Methods for Higher Education Institutions in the Philippines (Research4HEIs) from 23 to 27 January 2023 at the SEARCA Headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. With 21 participants representing 17 higher education institutions that are members of the State Universities and Colleges – Association of Colleges of Agriculture in the Philippines, Inc. (SUC-ACAP, Inc.), the training course aimed to build the capacity of the participants to develop a framework… Read more