ADVISORY: The AJAD 20th Anniversary Seminar Series has been postponed indefinitely.
The Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) will celebrate its 20th year with a seminar series by authors of its anniversary issue.
AJAD is a peer-reviewed journal that Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) publishes twice a year with original research and review articles, and policy briefs on a wide range of topics related to agriculture and rural development in Southeast Asia.
Themed "Asian Agriculture and Development in a Dynamic and Volatile Landscape of Demands, Peoples, and Risks," AJAD's 20th anniversary issue this year features eight papers by prominent international experts.
The seminar series will kick off soon on a date to be announced with a hybrid special seminar via Zoom and Facebook, and onsite at SEARCA in Los Baños, Laguna, that is open to the public.
The seminar series will give authors, researchers, and other stakeholders the chance to discuss research insights and real-world applications and impacts to agriculture.
The inaugural seminar will be headlined by Filipino and American professors at top Philippine and US universities.
Prof. Alfredo Mahar Francisco Lagmay, a University Scientist III at the National Institute of Geological Sciences of the University of the Philippines Diliman as well as executive director of the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute, will discuss the topic, "An Impact-Based Flood Forecasting System for Citizen Empowerment." The system is designed with real-time data analytics to encourage community participation by providing citizens with actionable information to prepare for and respond to flood events.
Dr. Peter Timmer, Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Development Studies, Emeritus of Harvard University, USA, will discuss his retrospective essay "How I Learned to Stabilize Rice Prices and Why."
The essay includes Timmer's reflections on food price stability over the past 50 years, particularly in developing countries where rice is a staple food, as well as current stresses on the global food system and the relevance of historical lessons in addressing these challenges.
"AJAD's 20th anniversary marks a significant milestone for SEARCA and the broader agricultural research community in Southeast Asia," said SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn Gregorio.
National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, a former SEARCA director and the visionary behind AJAD, will offer insights into the journal's early years and talk about its significance.
The AJAD editor, Dr. Cielito Habito, who also headed Neda and served as Socioeconomic Planning secretary, will unveil the 20th anniversary Issue of AJAD.