SEARCA in the News

THE Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) recently held a forum on Breeding Innovations for Increasing Productivity and Climate Resilience in Crops and Livestock as part of SEARCA's efforts to expand the knowledge of the youth on agricultural biotechnology (agribiotech). Held on August 15 at SEARCA's headquarters on the campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, the public seminar was conducted together with the United States Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS) Manila and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) Inc. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director, said… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the East-West Seed Philippines (EWPH) have signed an agreement to train young farmers in vegetable farming and agri-entrepreneurship. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director, signed the memorandum of agreement (MoA) with East-West Seed for the project titled "Yabong," or Young Agripreneurs Building Opportunities, Nurturing Growth Bootcamp, that also intends to showcase stories of young agri-entrepreneurs to inspire more of the youth to engage in vegetable farming. The MoA was signed at the East-West Seed Hortanova Research Center in Lipa City, Batangas, with the seed company represented by General… Read more

THE Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) conducted its annual UC Summer School in Thailand empowering sustainable agricultural solutions in difficult environments. The Summer School which took place from July 24 to 4 August 4, 2023 at Kasetsart University (KU) Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus marked the seventh installment of the learning event which brought together 28 delegates from UC member universities. These universities include IPB University, Universitas Gadjah Mada, and Universitas Brawijaya from Indonesia; Universiti Putra Malaysia; Kasetsart University and Maejo University from Thailand; Tokyo NODAI from Japan; National Taiwan University; University… Read more

FOUNDED by Joseph Navasero, Insiklo is a startup venture that is turning market and household wastes into feed and fertilizer with the aid of the insect called black soldier fly (BSF). According to the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), about 500 kilograms of market waste from Los Baños municipality in Laguna province are sent every week to the Insiklo facility. Then the larvae of BSF devour food scrap, agricultural debris and manure, reducing the waste volume and odor into a nutrient-rich compost for use as organic fertilizer on crops. The mature larvae are… Read more

TO honor and celebrate the graduation of its 28 Full MSc and PhD scholars and six PhD Research scholars, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) held a hybrid Testimonial Ceremony on August 3, 2023. SEARCA director Dr. Glenn Gregorio said the ceremony served as a fitting tribute to the graduates' accomplishments and aspirations, underscoring the center's commitment as the leading enabler and champion of excellence in agriculture and rural development in Southeast Asia. SEARCA which is an institution under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization or SEAMEO, is headquartered on the campus… Read more

DAKOTA, a digital tool that can bolster sustainable production of food export commodities in Indonesia, is a demonstration of the power of agricultural technology, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) said. SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio said DAKOTA is a digital platform that will soon reach the okra farmers of Grobogan in Central Java, Indonesia. He said the tool helps farmers achieve international market standards and fair prices through transparent records of the quality control and agricultural practices applied to their commodities. "SEARCA Grants for Research towards Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS) supports digital innovations… Read more

Southeast Asian schools, including those in the Philippines, can vie for this year's SEAMEO-Japan Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Award. Held annually since 2021, the award focuses on raising awareness and fostering sustainable practices across Southeast Asia and Japan. This year's theme is "Promoting Environmental Education Through Utilizing Renewable Energy." All public and private educational levels, from kindergarten to Grade 12, as well as vocational and technical schools, are eligible. Enter now to showcase sustainability and innovation regionally, with submissions closing on August 15, 2023. The award is a collaboration of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), the… Read more

SOUTHEAST Asian schools, including those in the Philippines, can vie for this year's SEAMEO-Japan Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Award. SEAMEO, a Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization, is an intergovernmental treaty body that has been promoting education, science, and culture since 1965 with 26 specialist institutions located across Southeast Asia. Three SEAMEO institutions are based in the Philippines, namely, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), the Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology or INNOTECH, and the Regional Centre for Public Health Hospital Administration, Environmental and Occupational Health or TROPMED Philippines. Dr… Read more

SEVENTEEN barangay (villages) in Rizal province have undergone a scoping activity to assess the current status, readiness and compliance of community gardens in line with the provisions of the Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular on Halina't Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay, also called the Hapag sa Barangay Project. The scoping activity was conducted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in collaboration with the Rizal provincial government through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist. Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director, said the activity is part of the School Edible Landscaping… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) established an ASEAN farming consortium to generate carbon credit and cut greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) while raising farmers' income. SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio said the consortium would incentivize Asian farmers to adopt innovative technologies to reduce methane emissions from rice farming. It will generate carbon credits in the future. Aside from solving a huge environmental problem, it will raise farmers' income by at least 50 percent. It will generate rural jobs and produce an organic-type fertilizer. "We will share the data (between Southeast Asian countries)… Read more