SEARCA in the News

CELEBRATING the University of the Philippines Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) 55th anniversary was also a time for Searca alumni to discuss in a forum their experiences and reflections on what it takes to be a transformational leader. Through the Graduate Scholarship and Institutional Development Unit or GSIDU and the Regional Searca Alumni Association (RSAA), Searca organized an Alumni Forum on Transformational Leadership on November 25. During the forum, Searca Director Dr. Glenn Gregorio welcomed everyone and thanked the alumni's continuous support for over six decades. Gregorio said Searca considers its… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna: The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) said the Covid-19 pandemic has put further emphasis on the need for effective and innovative financial mechanisms, especially for agriculture and food producers, and farmers and farming families. This was what SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio said during a dialogue the agency hosted in collaboration with the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture Intensification (Cosai) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Asia. The virtual dialogue was held last November for a regional discourse titled "Paying for Nature and Society: Dialogue on Innovative Financial… Read more

Improved information management and market systems as well as involving farmers are essential to crafting innovative and equitable financial instruments tailored to farming communities. These are the main takeaways from a regional forum jointly convened by the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Commission on Sustainable Agriculture Intensification (CoSAI), and International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Asia. Titled “Paying for Nature and Society: Dialogue on Innovative Financial Mechanisms to Promote Equity and Sustainability in Agriculture-Asia,” the virtual event is second in a series of regional discussions across the globe to… Read more

SOME 44 young educators, students and out-of-school youth from different districts of Laguna province joined the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) to learn the basics of hydroponics farming. The SEARCA-hosted Information and Demonstration Session on Hydroponics was part of the "Pook Luntian Sa Tahanan Ko" project of Gawad Laguna Inc. (GLI) held on November 27 via Zoom. In partnership with SEARCA through the Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation or #Y4Agri and the NIU Greens Hydroponics, participants were pre-selected from a vlogging contest initiated by GLI to… Read more

Student, out-of-school youth, and young educators from various districts of Laguna joined a virtual demonstration of hydroponics farming hosted by the Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) last November 27. The hydroponics demo was part of the Pook Luntian Sa Tahanan Ko project of Gawad Laguna, Inc. (GLI) in partnership with SEARCA, through the Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation (#Y4AGRI), and the NIU Greens Hydroponics. Engr. Albretch Hernandez and Floracoelli Masajo-Hernandez of Laguna-based NIU Greens Hydroponics facilitated the info-demo session. This was NIU’s second engagement with SEARCA, having featured how and why… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) has launched three new publications documenting experiences and outcomes of its sustainable agriculture and rural development initiatives. Titled Championing Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development in Southeast Asia: Searca's 10th Five-Year Plan Plus One in Retrospect, the plan is Searca's development agenda carried out from 2014 to 2020 that was anchored on Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development (Isard). Searca Director Glenn Gregorio said launching the retrospect book is a "celebration of the success and legacy of Searca's 10th Five-Year Plan." Dr. Gil Saguiguit Jr.… Read more

AS part of the 55th anniversary celebration of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), the University of the Philippines (UP)-based center held virtually the 2021Pista ng Pagkain at Kabataang Pinoy (Pistang PagKaPinoy) celebrating Filipino food and agriculture. SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn Gregorio said the theme of the center's 55th anniversary celebration was "Sowing Seeds of Innovation for Agricultural Transformation." Headlined by experts, advocates and youth partners, the youth festival featured lessons, stories and concepts on food and how it intersects with business, nutrition, arts, gender, culture and tourism. The speakers were Amy Besa… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has launched three new publications documenting experiences and outcomes of its sustainable agriculture and rural development initiatives. One of the new books is titled “Championing Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development in Southeast Asia: SEARCA’s 10th Five-Year Plan Plus One in Retrospect.” The plan is SEARCA’s development agenda carried out from 2014 to 2020 that was anchored on Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development (ISARD). “Designed to respond to the needs of the Southeast Asian region at the time, ISARD tackled social inclusion, environmental sustainability, regional… Read more

A virtual forum on what it takes to be a transformational leader will be held on November 25, 2021. Organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) as part of its 55th anniversary celebration, the forum will feature SEARCA alumni from Thailand, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste. The speakers are Weerapon Thongma, President of Maejo University, Thailand; Dr. Asikin Yoeu, Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Cambodia; and Mr. Natalino Babo Martins, Deputy Project Manager of Conservation International in Timor-Leste. Dr. Weerapon has nearly 35 years of experience in leadership… Read more

A fiesta celebrating Fiipino food and agriculture headlined by experts, advocates, and youth partners of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) was the essence of the recent 2021 Pista ng Pagkain at Kabataang Pinoy, or “Pistang PagKaPinoy,” held virtually. The youth festival featured lessons, stories, and concepts on food and how it intersects with business, nutrition, arts, gender, culture, and tourism. The speakers were Amy Besa, Owner of NYC-based Purple Yam; Cristina Sison, Co-Project Leader of UP Rural High School Youth in Agriculture Program; Raymund Vincent Aaron, Banana Chief of Villa Soccoro Farm; John Bryan… Read more