SEARCA News

Mr. Benjamin Leong, deputy managing director of the International Department of the International Cultural Communication Center Malaysia (ICCCM), visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 20 March 2024 to introduce the International Transnational Education Association (ITEA) and discuss potential areas of collaboration. ICCCM serves as secretariat to ITEA, a non-profit organization that promotes and fosters synergy among institutions and individuals involved in transnational education. With a global network of members, it aims to enhance the quality and accessibility of educational opportunities across borders. During the meeting, Mr. Leong learned about SEARCA's mandate… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and The Head Foundation (THF) kicked off the 2024 Leadership Development Program for Higher Education Institutions (LDP-HEIs) in Southeast Asia with 23 HEIs represented on 14 March 2024 via Microsoft Teams. Now on its sixth run, this cohort is composed of 33 participants across six countries, including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. They are composed of university presidents, faculty deans, department heads, and other HEI leaders with administrative positions. Dr. Nur Azura binti Adam, deputy director for programs of SEARCA, encouraged the participants… Read more

Celebrating the achievements of women and creating opportunities for them to be part of the discussion and promote inclusivity, especially in the agricultural sector, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Center and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) together with the Philippines Partnerships for Sustainable Agriculture (PPSA), held the "WE Can Do It: Empowering Women in Agriculture" Forum on 13 March 2024 at the BGC Community Farm by Urban Farmers PH, Taguig City, Philippines. Ms. Angel Bautista, Country Director of PPSA, encouraged everyone to step up and become champions for women, especially women in agriculture who are sustaining food systems globally… Read more

PAMPANGA, Philippines—Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Center director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), spotlighted agricultural education's role in revolutionizing the agriculture sector during the 1st International Conference on Agricultural Sciences and Technology (ICAST) 2024 held on 13–15 March 2024 at the Royce Hotel in Clark, Angeles City. Under the theme, "Digitally Sustaining Our Future: Exploring the Application of Emerging Technologies for Food Security and Sustainability," the conference showcased productive discussions and exchanges on the benefits of smart farming technologies and innovations, circular economy, agribusiness, and agricultural extension and development. In his keynote address… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture's (SEARCA) Youth in Agri Talk Show aired its second episode on 16 February 2024 at 7:00 p.m. (GMT +8:00) on the Center's Facebook page. The episode "Winged Warriors: The Unsung Heroes of Agri-Land" has garnered over 5,000 views in its first 24 hours and more than 120,000 views in less than a month. Dr. Nur Azura Adam, SEARCA deputy director for programs and an entomologist, served as the guest expert. Students from HFSE International School in Singapore, SMK Seri Jempol in Malaysia, and Colegio de San Juan de… Read more

BOHOL, Philippines—Inclusive farm tourism was the resounding message of Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Center director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) during his keynote address at the 7th Philippine Farm Tourism Conference held on 26–28 February 2024 at the Bellevue Resort. The conference was co-presented by the Center and the International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) and was hosted by the Provincial Government of Bohol, Philippines. Themed "Farm Tourism: Consciousness for Healthy Living and New Experiences," the conference featured success stories on sustainable growth through cultivating fruit and vegetable farms, aquaculture and artisanal… Read more

Negros Occidental, Philippines —The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is set to unveil its groundbreaking approach to agri-mechanization through open-systems tractors, reaching far and wide, particularly in the Visayas region. The recent collaboration with RU Foundry in Bacolod has resulted in the completion of the enhanced Oggun Tractor, an open-systems design tractor that is being locally manufactured in the Philippines. SEARCA's General Service Unit, together with the Emerging Innovation for Growth Department, inspected the newly designed tractor, which is tailored to meet the unique needs of farming communities in the region. The upgraded… Read more

A delegation from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) led by Mr. Grant Merrick, senior advisor for agriculture and food, and Ms. Tina Del Rosario, manager of the Asia Pacific Advisory, TBI Philippines, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 16 February 2024 to explore possible areas of collaboration, particularly in advancing the agriculture sector, including the promotion of responsive and climate-resilient research and development and innovation. TBI is a non-profit organization that works with political leaders worldwide and helps governments deliver positive change for their people. TBI Philippines was… Read more

Ms. Arunee Suwanngam, a PhD scholar who received the DAAD-SEARCA In-Country Scholarship, has been awarded a six-month research stay at the University of Cologne in Germany. The grant was funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). During her scholarship, she attended various trainings and field visits focused on biodiversity genomics. She learned about cutting-edge genomic techniques and bioinformatics, and how they are applied in biodiversity research. Ms. Arunee, along with other students, collected soil samples from mountains, seashores, and deserts. They separated and classified the nematodes or roundworms in the samples. Ms. Arunee had the opportunity to experiment in… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has declared the winners of the 17th SEARCA Photo Contest (2023) themed "Regenerating agro-ecosystems, lowering 'global boiling'." Bagging first and second prizes are photographs from Vietnam by Thong Nguyen and Pham Quoc Hung. While one showcases a traditional postharvest method and the other a mechanized method, both are sustainable farming practices. The 3rd prize photo is from Lao PDR by Saiyadeth Sitthilath showing youngsters keenly learning planting techniques from an elderly. Meanwhile, the four special awardees feature innovations that significantly reduce the effects of "global boiling." The… Read more