SEARCA in the News

The pivotal role of the agriculture sector in Southeast Asia (SEA) in driving the socioeconomic transformation of the region is highlighted by several studies presented in the December 2023 edition of the Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD). However, these studies also underscore the sector's exposure to risks and challenges. AJAD is an internationally refereed journal published by the Philippine government-hosted, Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). According to SEARCA Center Director Glenn Gregorio, the combined optimism of the authors "offers a glimpse of hope for the ongoing role of the… Read more

THE agriculture sector in Southeast Asia (SEA) has a pivotal role in the socioeconomic transformation of the region but faces perils and challenges, various studies published in the December 2023 issue of the Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) showed. AJAD is an international-refereed journal published by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) based in Los Banos, Laguna. SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio said the authors' collective optimism "provides a glimpse of hope for the continuing role of the region as a major global producer and exporter." In his paper "Back in the… Read more

WITH food security wholly dependent on agriculture, farming indeed is the world's present and future. However, with an aging farmer population and a growing lack of interest in rural communities pursuing this line of work, numerous countries in the Philippines are faced with the huge task of encouraging a new generation of farmers—especially coming from the youth—to engage in agriculture. Claire Huang, a young Taiwanese agribusiness student who recently visited Philippine farms under the 2023 Taiwan Youth Agricultural Ambassadors (TYAA) program, believes young Filipinos will play a significant role in sustaining the sector's local front in the coming years. Huang… Read more

THE Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Studies and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and AppGeese Inc. have revolutionized farming in Liliw through digitalization. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director, said AppGeese is a sociotechnoprise pioneering digital agriculture in Laguna since 2020. He said that three years into the initiative, SEARCA's Emerging Innovation for Growth Department or EIGD conducted a monitoring visit to Liliw to assess the impact of the project on local farmers and agricultural groups. He said the Liliw Upland Farmers Marketing Cooperative (LUFAMCO) became an integral part of the project under the guidance of Liliw municipal agriculture officer… Read more

WHILE information and understanding can be obtained from data, analytics provides an advantage, a reputable Filipino scientist and academician said. Dr. Glenn Gregorio, director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), said these before the faculty and staff of higher education institutions (HEIs) that took part in a data analytics training conducted at the center's headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, from Dec. 4 to 8, 2023. Note: Full access to this article is exclusive to The Manila Times subscribers… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—Agriculture, including rice farming, emits greenhouse gases (GHG) that contributes to global warming. To provide information on the available platforms on carbon emission and carbon farming, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) conducted the second installment of the training-workshop on Carbon Wise Rice-based Farming. It was in collaboration with Newfields Consulting Ltd. (NFC) and Macon Ltd., and was held at SEARCA headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, on November 21 and 22, said SEARCA's Kim Louisse Patagnan and Ma. Christina Corales. The training-workshop was attended by 28 participants from the Provincial and… Read more

A SIMPLE setup called an anaerobic digester which converts organic matter into biogas is key to the innovation that Muntinlupa City is showing as a way to turn farm waste into clean cooking fuel. Along with composting machines, the city takes the path to zero-waste agriculture and a circular economy with this technology at the Environmental Sanitation Center (ESC) in Tunasan. The ESC is committed to achieving a successful ecological solid waste management system by operating a citywide waste segregation project. It encourages all stakeholders to purposefully sort out waste and utilize these as inputs to production, ultimately achieving a… Read more

OPEN to both professional and amateur photographers, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Photo Contest is still accepting submissions until Dec. 30, 2023. SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio said the photo contest is open to Filipinos and nationals of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. For its 17th year, the annual photo contest zooms in on the theme "Regenerating agri-ecosystems, lowering global boiling," which aims to highlight technologies and practices in agriculture that help mitigate the worsening effects of climate change. Gregorio said no other than United Nations… Read more

The Asian Institute of Technology's recent international gatherings have set new standards in responsible aquaculture, educational excellence, and global collaboration, propelling the industry toward a brighter, more sustainable future. In a series of groundbreaking aquaculture advancements, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) has once again affirmed its leadership in fostering sustainable practices within Asia and beyond. A trio of international events hosted by AIT’s Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management (AARM)—the International Fisheries Symposium, the Recent Advances in Tropical Aquaculture training, and the Giant Prawn Conference—have collectively charted a new course for responsible aquaculture and fisheries management. Catalysing Innovation and Collaboration… Read more

SCIENCE, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program students at the Reedley International School visited the Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) to explore the role of robotics in agriculture. Reedley International School is a private, nonsectarian, nontraditional, co-educational school in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines that combines progressive and traditional learning approaches. Accompanied by their teachers and guardians, the 14 Grade 12 international students participated in a robotics learning session and toured the SEARCA Hub for Agricultural and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING) on December 7, 2023. At the SHARING… Read more