THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has collaborated with the Postgraduate Micro-Credentials in Food Security and Climate Change (PMCFSCC) Project and the Regional SEARCA Alumni Association (RSAA) in organizing a conference on food security and resilience to climate change in Thailand on Feb. 10 to 12, 2025.
Titled "Innovation Meets Education: Building Pathways for Food Security and Resilience to Climate Change," the event showcased the research achievements of 13 selected SEARCA scholars and alumni for the Academic Year 2024-2025.
Held at the Amari Hotel in Pattaya, Chonburi province, it was a back-to-back conference with the Erasmus+-funded project Postgraduate Micro-Credential on Food Security and Climate Change or PMCFSCC's International Conference on Micro-credentials and Research for Food Security and Climate Change.
According to SEARCA director Glenn Gregorio, the SEARCA Scholars and Alumni Conference aimed to promote discussions and collaborations among scholars, alumni, and partners.
"This year's conference highlighted research findings, best practices and innovative policies designed to empower communities in addressing climate challenges and building resilient, sustainable food systems, with a strong focus on education as a catalyst for transformation," Gregorio said.
He said the conference also featured three thematic sessions such as Agriculture and Food Security, Climate Change and Ecosystem Management, and Innovative Technologies and Sustainable Practices.
SEARCA has invited notable speakers including Delfin Ganapin Jr., an Outstanding SEARCA Scholarship alumnus and former global manager of the UN Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program, who delivered the keynote address.
Ganapin was joined by Asdi Agustar, president of the Regional SEARCA Alumni Association (RSAA) and professor at Universitas Andalas, Indonesia, who gave the opening remarks; and Weerapon Thongma, vice president of RSAA and president of Maejo University in Thailand, who delivered the closing remarks on the second day.
The center has previously organized conferences for its scholars, including the International Development Research Centre of Canada-SEARCA joint scholarship conference in 2013.
Through its Education and Collective Learning Department or ECLD, SEARCA revived the event in 2023 as an annual gathering for stakeholders of its graduate study program.
In addition to the conference, Gregorio said SEARCA will host "SEARCAMustahan," a special check-in event for scholars and alumni, along with a teambuilding activity designed to foster camaraderie and strengthen the SEARCA community.
He said these activities reflect the center's commitment to promoting a supportive and collaborative environment for its scholars and alumni.