SEARCA in the News

A new science communicators group has been launched Friday, March 10, at the Bank of the Philippine Islands Foundation, Inc. headquarters in Makati City, with the aim of bridging the gap between science and society and communicating science researches. Science Communicators Philippines, Inc. (SciCommPH), a non-stock, non-profit organization duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), is a newly established group comprising of Filipino science journalists, science communicators, science educators, and science enthusiasts, who are passionate about making science accessible and engaging to the public. The group, officially launched in a face-to-face event, brought together members from the Philippines… Read more

AgriPortal Advocates Philippines Inc. and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) have forged a partnership for sustainable agriculture. Signatories of the five-year accord were Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director, and Dr. Junifen Gauuan, chairman of the AgriPortal Board of Trustees. Gregorio said SEARCA and AgriPortal have complementary objectives, and a mutual desire to collaborate in a number of areas of common interest such as education, training and research related to sustainable agriculture. Gregorio explained that under the partnership, SEARCA and AgriPortal will collaborate in promoting and disseminating planting and gardening of "Bahay Kubo"… Read more

To promote smart agriculture among farming youths, the Philippine-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in collaboration with the Dagatan Family Farm School (DFFS) conducted agri-innovation learning activities for this segment of society. SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio said a total of 54 student participants from the Barangay Dagatan, Lipa City-based DFFS visited and engaged in the center's learning activities in Los Baños, Laguna. The one-day agri-innovation learning activities for DFFS students were organized through SEARCA Partnerships Unit and Emerging Innovation for Growth Department. Two batches of DFFS students visited SEARCA for the activities. The… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has conducted a study to boost the Technology Business Incubation Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA). The study, commissioned by the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), was geared toward carving pathways to improve the existing and future technology business incubation programs of the agency by documenting and assessing the existing operations and implementation of the program. Supporting technology business incubators (TBIs) is a core initiative of the government to build the capacity of research for development (R4D) institutions in effectively facilitating the transfer and commercialization of… Read more

Bulacan Agricultural State College (BASC) officials recently visited Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) to learn more about the programs of this intergovernmental treaty organization. SEARCA, which is headquartered on the campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, is a non-profit organization established by its mother organization Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) in 1966. Led by BASC President Dr. Jameson Tan, the delegation paid a courtesy call to SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn Gregorio, during their visit to Los Baños, Laguna and were received by Gregorio together with other SEARCA officials… Read more

A study conducted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has mapped recommendations and assessments to strengthen the country's agriculture and fisheries technology-based enterprises. The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR)-commissioned study was conducted on the DA-BAR Technology Business Incubation (TBI) program, including those hosted by state colleges and universities, among others. Among the TBI host SUCs are the Capiz State University, Pampanga State Agricultural University, Visayas State University, Mariano Marcos State University, Benguet State University, and others in the field offices of DA-Region 2, Region 4-A, Presented at the SEARCA Umali… Read more

Pili farmers in the Bicol Region received support from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) to help them revive their livelihood activities that were stalled by the pandemic and typhoons. Through its Grants for Research toward Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS), Searca funded a project of the Socio-Economic Development Program Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SEDP-MPC) called “Technology Adoption for People-Centered Innovation and Livelihood Integration (Pili).” Searca Program Head for Emerging Innovation Glenn Baticados said that with GRAINS, Searca is pushing for starter technologies and projects that will benefit farming communities. According to SEDP-MPC Chairman Jovic Lobrigo, pili is a viable product… Read more

A Scoping activity for the School Edible Landscaping for Entrepreneurship (SEL4E) Project has been conducted in the Province of Rizal for 11 schools from seven municipalities to start home and community gardening projects this month. Visiting the said school were key staff of the Southeast Asin Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture's (SEARCA) Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD) and Training for Development Unit (T4DU), the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist of Rizal, and the Department of Education Schools Division Office of Rizal. SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio said the SEL4E is an offshoot project of SEARCA's prior… Read more

The 52nd Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council Conference saw the turnover of the SEAMEO Council presidency from Singapore to the Philippines with Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte assuming leadership of the regional education body. Hosted by the Philippines through the Department of Education (DepEd), the SEAMEO Council conference was held on Feb. 8 and 9, 2023 at Edsa Shangri-La Manila Hotel, Ortigas Center in Mandaluyong City. SEAMEO is the mother organization of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). During the conference, Duterte shared that DepEd recently launched the… Read more

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently announced plans to achieve rice self-sufficiency in two years. That seems consistent with the importance that the government has placed on reviving the agriculture sector. But if policymakers are to realize their dreams for agriculture, they must resolve the problem of aging farmers. With the average age of Filipino farmers ranging from 55 years old to 59 years old, experts predict the Philippines will face a critical shortage of farmers in 10 to 12 years. This threatens not only the plans for achieving rice self-sufficiency but also food security. Farmers generally find their life and… Read more