SEARCA in the News

Fourteen Grade 12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program students at the Reedley International School visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on December 7. The field trip aimed at exploring the role of robotics in agriculture, said SEARCA's Zara Mae Estareja. Reedley International School is a private, nonsectarian, nontraditional, co-educational school in Pasig City in Metro Manila, that combines progressive and traditional learning approaches. During the visit, the students, accompanied by their teachers and guardians, participated in a robotics learning session at the SHARING Café and toured the SEARCA Hub for… Read more

TWO faculty members of Central Mindanao University (CMU) participated in the "Training on Tropical Agro-silvopasture for Sustainable Nature-Based Product Development" held at the Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, according to CMU Public Relation and Information Office. They are Abbie Glenn Estribillo of the CMU Department of Food Science and Jason Parlucha of the CMU Department of Wood Science and Technology. The training focused on enhancing the understanding and appreciation of agro-silvopasture technologies, emphasizing local farm models in Yogyakarta, particularly on cacao, goat and timber production. The Southeast Asian Regional Center sponsored the training for Graduate Study and Research… Read more

THIRTEEN higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines are leveling up their strategic communication efforts in a training program jointly implemented by the College of Development Communication of the University of the Philippines Los Baños and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). These were the Cavite State University, Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, Central Luzon State University, Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College, Iloilo State College of Fisheries, Laguna State Polytechnic University, Mindanao State University, Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College, Romblon State University, Sorsogon State University, Tarlac Agricultural University, University of Rizal System… Read more

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has thrown its support for the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act as it sought collaborators in the fight against illegal tobacco trade that brings P25 billion yearly in foregone revenue for government. According to DA Undersecretary Deogracias Victor B. Savellano, the Senate Bill 2432 should be immediately approved to help eliminate illegal trade and smuggling of tobacco and other agricultural produce. Illegal tobacco trade even has serious impact against the health of minors, he said. "It may worsen the country's problem on smuggling. Illicit tobacco trade reduces the effectiveness of public health policies… Read more

The 2023 Young Agricultural Ambassadors composed of 12 Taiwanese with expertise in farming, forestry, fisheries, and animal husbandry visited the Philippines on November 13 to 18 as part of the New Southbound Policy Exchange Program. In an interview with The Manila Times, deputy director-general Hsiao Kuangwei of Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Public Diplomacy Coordination Council, shared, "The participants hail from diverse backgrounds. Their areas of expertise include organic farming, aquaculture, fruit, vegetable and cultivation, as well as agricultural economics." "For them, it's really a thorough trip in just seven days. They visited government agencies to learn about the… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) conducted a training workshop on carbon farming that provided an in-depth discussion on the importance of the available platforms for monitoring, reporting and verification in carbon emissions. This is the second installment of the training workshop series on Carbon Wise Rice-based Farming held on November 21-22 at the SEARCA Headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, in collaboration with Newfields Consulting Ltd. (NFC) and Macon Ltd. The training was attended by 28 participants from the provincial and municipal agricultural offices of Laguna, faculty and researchers from the University of… Read more

UNIVERSITY and government officials of an eastern Indian state on the Bay of Bengal visited the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on November 16, 2023. The delegates from Odisha came to discuss possible collaborations on research, innovations, scholarships and publications. They were Prem Chaudhary, Government of Odisha Department of Agriculture and Food Production (ODAFP) director; Prof. Pravat Kumar Roul, vice chancellor, and Dr. Tushar Ranjan Mohanty, agrometeorologist, both of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT); and Dr. Mukund Variar, Odisha-International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) state coordinator. ODAFP is the… Read more

A THAI university executive has assumed the chairmanship of the governing board of the Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Associate Professor Dr. Sutkhet Nakasathien, vice president for research and creation at Kasetsart University in Thailand, was elected to serve in this position from 2023 to 2025. As chairman of the board, Sutkhet will lead SEARCA's highest policymaking body which also defines the general policy guidelines of the center. Playing a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of SEARCA, the board also conducts an annual review and evaluation of the center's… Read more

TO share good practices for enticing youth into agriculture, 12 Taiwan Youth Agricultural Ambassadors (TYAA) paid a courtesy visit to the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on November 17, 2023 as part of the TYAA New Southbound Policy Exchange Program. The Taiwanese group was accompanied by Deputy Director General Hsiao Kuang-wei of the Public Diplomacy Coordination Council-Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and Deputy Director General Hung Hsiao-chun of the Department of International Affairs-Taiwan Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). Providing Taiwanese tertiary students specializing in agriculture, aquaculture, animal husbandry and forestry with an opportunity… Read more

WITH the COVID-19 pandemic bringing innovative ways of inviting people into the learning environment, universities have become engines of social inclusion that can transform agriculture, 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), was a plenary speaker at the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences (ISSAAS) International Scientific Congress and General Meeting 2023, accentuating universities' roles and potentials in transforming agricultural education. Anchored on the theme, "Integrated Management of Southeast Asian Agricultural Landscapes," the congress focused on food security, soil and water… Read more