SEARCA in the News

PRACTICES that can advance nature-positive agriculture were championed by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) during the 8th International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Asia Regional Conservation Forum (RCF) 2024 recently held in Bangkok, Thailand. During the panel on transforming agri-food systems, SEARCA Center Director Glenn Gregorio noted the increasing pressure on natural ecosystems due to agricultural activities and the challenges posed by climate change. He said that the critical balance between agricultural productivity and biodiversity conservation can be achieved through innovations. He proposed solutions which are "essential to a produce-more-with-less framework."… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is capacitating public servants of Oriental Mindoro on agribiotechnology. SEARCA Center Director Glenn Gregorio said that through the center's project titled "Pilot Testing of Training Module on Biotechnology for Public Servants," provincial governments are strengthened and their knowledge enhanced to promote the use and acceptance of modern biotechnology more effectively. Gregorio said that the training of public servants in Oriental Mindoro under the project in September and October this year was held in Muntinlupa and was attended by 18 officials and staff of the provincial and municipal… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has set October 31, 2024 as the deadline for applications for its Seed Fund for Research and Training (SFRT). SEARCA director Glenn Gregorio, PhD, said the seed fund provides support of up to $15,000 for research and training projects. SFRT is open to Southeast Asian researchers, scientists and academic professionals who have limited funds for their research or training proposals. Gregorio said the applicants' proposed projects should align with SEARCA's strategic goals, reflect regional significance and demonstrate clear benefits to Southeast Asia's agricultural sector. As such, the… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has set October 31, 2024 as the deadline for applications for its Seed Fund for Research and Training (SFRT). The seed fund provides support of up to US$15,000 for research and training projects. SFRT is open to Southeast Asian researchers, scientists, and academic professionals who have limited funds for their research or training proposals. The applicants' proposed projects should align with SEARCA's strategic goals, reflect regional significance, and demonstrate clear benefits to Southeast Asia's agricultural sector. As such, the topic of proposed projects must fall within SEARCA's… Read more

SOME 29 delegates from various Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) universities converged in a workshop to craft guidelines for food security and climate change micro-credentials implementation in Chon Buri Province, Thailand on Oct. 15, 2024. These universities include the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Central Luzon State University (CLSU), and Visayas State University (VSU) in the Philippines; Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), and Universitas Brawijaya (UB) in Indonesia; Maejo University (MJU) and Kasetsart University (KU) in Thailand; and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). The workshop "Developing Guidelines for the Monitoring… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) based in Los Baños provided insights and fostered a healthy discussion on rice policy innovation at a recent International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) training workshop. Addressing critical issues related to food security, food self-sufficiency and the challenges of agricultural pricing policies, the training workshop in September reviewed various policy approaches, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, and examined the role of agriculture in poverty reduction and combating malnutrition. It was participated by 23 researchers and policy influencers from IRRI, Caraga State University, the Department of Agriculture (DA), DA-Philippine… Read more

COCONUT farmers and farmer associations and cooperatives in Quezon province recently participated in a series of training spearheaded by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist of Quezon in partnership with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio said the series of trainings under the project titled "Development of Coconut Industry Growth Areas in the Province of Quezon" was participated by four municipalities in the province on September 18 to 20. Gregorio said the training series were designed to equip individual farmers and farmer associations or cooperatives on high-value crops and… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) recently brought the "Sowing Seeds: Cultivating Youth's Future in Agriculture" program to Thailand in partnership with the Kasetsart University Faculty of Agriculture (KUFA) and Patumwan Demonstration School (PDS). According to SEARCA director Glenn Gregorio, PhD, the program led by the center's Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation (#Y4AGRI) "introduces young people to the diverse and exciting career opportunities available in the agriculture sector." Held at the PDS in Bangkok, the inaugural offering of "Sowing Seeds" was participated by 20 high school students with Sirichan Daomanee, PDS English Program… Read more

THE Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) celebrated 35 years of partnership in advancing global agricultural education during its 37th Executive Board Meeting on Sept. 23 and 24, 2024. The UC executive board meeting was hosted by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), which marked UC's 35th anniversary, commemorating three-and-a-half decades of collaborative leadership in advancing agricultural and natural resources education across Southeast Asia and beyond. Attending the meeting were representatives from regular member institutions, including Kasetsart University (KU) and Maejo University from Thailand; Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), IPB University and… Read more

A CONTINUING dialogue with Southeast Asian youth, engaging them through conversation in various platforms, is vital to promoting environmental conservation efforts throughout the region. Ways on how to mainstream the involvement of young people were also discussed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Asia's Youth Leaders Forum, an initiative introduced during the 8th Regional Conservation Forum (RCF 2024) held in September in Bangkok, Thailand. Representing the Philippines was the Laguna-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Aligned with fostering intergenerational dialogues and collaboration, the forum's panel "emphasized the need for meaningful… Read more