SEARCA in the News

A NEW project that will enhance climate resilience in agriculture, natural resources and ecosystems in the Philippines is being led by the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Officially titled "Accelerating Climate Resilience in Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Project," this initiative aims to advance the government's climate resilience reform agenda under the Climate Change Action Program (CCAP). The project brought together 47 national and international experts from relevant government agencies and multisectoral institutions in agriculture, natural resources and the environment to deliberate on the project's objectives. It is done in… Read more

There is social scientific belief, which is common to researchers in the field, that Filipino farmers tale at least eight years to adopt new rice and corn seeds as well as farm technologies, but they eventually embrace new tools and inputs that would raise their yields, improve the prices of their crops or animals, and allow them to pay back creditors, principally loan sharks. In one interesting study in remote Samar, a Harvard scientist wishing to improve abaca production and teach Waray farmers to earn more found it hard to battle a disease similar to Fusarium wilt that decimates bananas… Read more

A new project that will enhance climate resilience in agriculture, natural resources, and ecosystems in the Philippines is being led by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in collaboration with NIRAS Asia Manila Inc. and the International Centre for Environmental Management (ICEM). Funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and officially titled "Accelerating Climate Resilience in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and the Environment (ANRE) Project," the initiative aims to advance the government's climate resilience reform agenda under the Climate Change Action Program (CCAP). The project kicked off with an inception workshop held on 8… Read more

ANCHORED on the theme "Revitalizing agro-industrial connectivity toward sustainable ecology and resilient GloCal Village," the 2nd International Agri-ecotourism Congress from September 11 to 12 was hosted by the Aklan State University (ASU) in Boracay, Malay, Aklan. Held at the Paradise Garden in Boracay, the event aimed to serve as a platform for the dissemination of research results and for sharing knowledge, experiences and culture in establishing agri-ecotourism technologies and innovations to sustain and mainstream the agri-ecotourism industry to a diverse set of audience. The event was attended by students, faculty researchers, scientists, research specialists, agricultural service providers, private sectors engaged… Read more

Collaborative opportunities to capacitate women agripreneurs through a planting program were explored during the recent visit of the Kalipayan Farm and Alfonso Women’s Council to the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Baños, Laguna. Kalipayan Farm founder Nikole Kazemi visited SEARCA along with Alfonso Women’s Council Chairman Len Maraan Reyes and board members Florinda Martal and Arceli Del Mundo. Intent on developing family farm communities, Kalipayan Farm is a social enterprise that provides farm-to-fork solutions that range from farm inputs to fresh and processed goods, farm development consultancy, and education and wellness… Read more

THE Kalipayan Farm and Alfonso Women's Council visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Baños, Laguna to explore collaboration on capacitating women agripreneurs under a possible partnership on their joint Tanim Farm program. Nikole Kazemi, founder of the Kalipayan Farm; chairman Len Maraan Reyes and board members Florinda Martal and Arceli Del Mundo of Alfonso Women's Council; and Deinielle Ramos, an intern at the Kalipayan Farm, visited SEARCA to explore partnership on August 11, 2023. Also with the group was Dr. Andrew Gasmen of the University of the Philippines Los Baños… Read more

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LAGUNA (September 14, 2023)—The capacity-building initiatives on agrotourism of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), headquartered on the campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), took center stage during an international conference in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. SEARCA director Dr. Glenn Gregorio said the center presented its farm/agrotourism training programs, conferences, webinars and other learning events that catered to legislators, educators, practitioners and other stakeholders across the Southeast Asian region and beyond. Gregorio said Dr. Nova Ramos, head of SEARCA Training for Development Unit under the Education and Collective Learning Department… Read more

Applications of modern biotechnology in animals by Dr. Maribel M. Zaporteza, University of the Philippines Los Baños Definition of Biotechnology Major area of Biotechnology Conventional VS Modern Biotech DNA d the Central Dogma and Molecular Molecular Markers and Genomics Molecular Diagnostic Animal Cloning Genetic Engineering Genome/ Gene Editing What's Up, "B"? Conversations with the Media on the Status of Philippine Ag-Biotech on 8 September 2023… Read more

Six Philippine universities recently participated in a two-week summer school focused on the critical importance of sustainable agricultural solutions in adverse conditions conducted by the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) in Thailand. Hosted by Kasetsart University (KU) at its Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus in July-August 2023, the summer school had 51 delegates from various universities, including 12 members of the UC. SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn Gregorio said the UC was established by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in 1989 to promote collaboration among… Read more