SEARCA News

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — Emphasizing the need for a holistic and interdisciplinary approach towards balancing productivity and sustainable development in the growing livestock industry in Southeast Asia, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), together with the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), and the French Agricultural Research Center for International Development (CIRAD), gathered representatives from various sectors and disciplines in a workshop on applying the OneHealth/EcoHealth framework to meet the challenges of the livestock sector. … Read more

Dr. Marcellus M. Caldas, an environmental geographer who studies the interaction of social, economic, and environmental processes, visited SEARCA on 23 October 2018. A Professor and Assistant Provost of International Faculty Collaboration and Educational Programs, Office of International Programs at Kansas State University (K-State), Dr. Caldas expressed interest in coming to SEARCA to know more about the Center’s programs and activities. … Read more

Students of Can Tho University (CTU), Vietnam visited SEARCA on 23 October 2018 as part of their student exchange program. Nine of them are undergraduate students while one is pursuing his PhD at CTU. They came to SEARCA's to understand its core programs and activities. They also inquired about the Center's impact on agricultural education in Southeast Asian countries, particularly in Vietnam. … Read more

HANOI, Vietnam - The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) convened its 66th Governing Board Meeting (GBM) hosted by the Government of Vietnam on 13 – 15 October 2018 at Hilton Hanoi Opera. … Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Regional SEARCA Alumni Association (RSAA) convened the 4th RSAA Conference with the theme Food Security, Climate Change, and Poverty Reduction: Initiatives towards Sustainable Agriculture and Resilient Communities in Southeast Asia. With funding from the Food Security Center (FSC) of the University of Hohenheim, Germany, the Conference was held on 8-9 October 2018 at the SEARCA Headquarters. More than 75 participants from 11 countries attended the event where SEARCA alumni and other researchers shared ongoing initiatives and experiences in finding solutions to food insecurity, climate change… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines – After 11 months of course implementation, which included a series of face-to-face (F2F) and online sessions that started in September 2017, SEARCA conducted the Final Assessment and Testimonial Ceremony for Batch 1 of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) funded project titled Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) Mentorship Program: Communicating Agriculture and Fisheries Research for Inclusive and Sustainable Development (CAFRISD) on 25-26 September 2018 at SEARCA based here. … Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna, Philippines – Calamansi is indigenous to the Philippines and widely cultivated throughout the country, with the largest production areas found in Victoria, Oriental Mindoro. It is one of the integral parts of Filipino cuisine with its taste described as 'earthy' and 'refreshing'. According to the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Program (DA-PRDP), buyers prefer calamansi from Oriental Mindoro because it has a thicker rind, stronger taste, longer shelf-life, and resists weight loss. However, there are gaps and constraints in the calamansi industry that limit its potential to increase income and generate the much-needed employment for… Read more

INOPACAN, LEYTE, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture is co-implementing the Piloting and Upscaling Effective Models of Inclusive Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (ISARD) program with Visayas State University (VSU) Visayas Consortium for Agriculture and Aquatic Resources Program (ViCAARP) and the local government of Inopacan, Leyte (LGU Inopacan). The program aims to strengthen the linkages among farmers, industry players, and government institutions in achieving ISARD outcomes of food and nutrition security and poverty alleviation. … Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna, Philippines – "Family farms are truly key players for inclusive growth and rural development, as well as to our food secure future." Thus said Senator Cynthia A. Villar, Chair of the Philippine Senate Agriculture and Food Committee during her keynote speech at the 2nd National Small and Family Farmers/New and Beginning Farmers Conference held at SEARCA on 20-21 September 2018. … Read more

PAHANG, Malaysia – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), which manages the ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry (AWG-SF) Strategic Response Fund (ASRF), conducted a project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) visit in Kuala Lumpur and Pahang, Malaysia on 13-14 September 2018… Read more