SEARCA in the News

Gene editing is among the technologies that can be used to improve farm productivity and mitigate the effects of climate change, a biosafety expert said recently. Dr. Carl Ramage, managing director of Rautaki Solutions Inc., gave this statement at the recent webinar, “SOLVE Public Info-sufficiency on Genome-edited Crops,” where he and Dr. Saturnina Halos, president of the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines, presented the global and local perspectives on genome editing technologies and biosafety regulations, respectively, a news release said.  Ramage shared several examples of genome editing regulatory approaches implemented in countries, such as Argentina and the United States. He… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) called on the government to accelerate the transformation of the country's agriculture sector into a dynamic and highly productive sector, which can be done through long-term institutional and programmatic innovative interventions. Speaking at the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.'s (DCCCII) webinar titled "Recalibrate Agribusiness in New Normal" held on Thursday, Dr. Glenn Gregorio, director and chief executive officer of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), presented strategies on how to achieve goals of food security and sustainable… Read more

WITH a focus on genome editing technologies in crops, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) led a webinar earlier this month through its SEARCA Online Learning and Virtual Engagement (Solve). Titled "Solve Public Info-sufficiency on Genome-edited Crops," the webinar is part of SEARCA's Biotech Outreach Program that provides a venue for knowledge sharing and learning with different stakeholders, and to contribute to improved understanding and acceptance of biotechnology in the country. In conducting the webinar, SEARCA teamed up with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service, United States Embassy Manila… Read more

The Protect Wildlife Activity (PWA), a wildlife conservation initiative funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), was found to have contributed greatly to reduce the threats to wildlife and biodiversity. This was observed by the evaluation team under the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca)-led Final Performance Evaluation of PWA commissioned by USAID. Covering several biodiversity hotspots in the Philippines, the PWA was evaluated so that the results can help inform similar natural resource-conservation activities at present or in the future, said Searca Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio. He added that the… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is looking for short videos on “Youth in Sustainable Food Consumption and Waste Management” by young Cambodians and other Southeast Asians. The video entries may reveal personal experiences, practices, or advocacy that showcase how young people contribute to sustainable food consumption and food waste management, explained SEARCA in a press release. Branded as the SEARCA Youth COVIDeo Contest, the competition aims to spotlight healthy diets, responsible food choices, and proper disposal or use of food waste, particularly during the pandemic, it added. The contest is open to… Read more

Gene editing is just one technology that can be used to improve farm productivity and mitigate the effects of climate change, says Dr. Carl Ramage, Managing Director of Rautaki Solutions, Inc. and Chair of the Institutional Biosafety Committee of La Trobe University, Australia, in a virtual forum held last September 8. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) teamed up with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service, United States Embassy Manila, and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) in holding a webinar titled “SOLVE Public Info-sufficiency… Read more

The Protect Wildlife Activity (PWA), a wildlife conservation initiative funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), was found to have contributed greatly to reduce the threats to wildlife and biodiversity. This was reportedly observed by the evaluation team under the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)-led Final Performance Evaluation of PWA commissioned by USAID. SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio thanked USAID for partnering with SEARCA and expressed hope for more opportunities to work together. He affirmed that SEARCA strongly supports USAID not only to protect biodiversity in the Philippines, but… Read more

Dubbed as the SEARCA Youth COVIDeo Contest, the competition aims to spotlight healthy diets, responsible food choices, and proper disposal or use of food waste, particularly during the pandemic. The contest is open to the youth, with ages from 15 to 35 years, who are citizens of the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. The contest is focused on the youth because, according to SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, “there is merit in mobilizing the youth as consumers of food and potential innovators to transform food systems.” Gregorio, a United Nations Food Systems Champion, said the… Read more

A PHILIPPINE government-hosted inter-government treaty organization based at the campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) is looking for short videos on "Youth in Sustainable Food Consumption and Waste Management" by young Filipinos and other Southeast Asians. According to Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) director, the first prize is $500, while the second and third prizes are $350 and $150, respectively. He added that $100 awaits the winner of the People's Choice Award. Now on its second year, Gregorio said the competition, which is branded as the "SEARCA Youth COVIDeo Contest" is an… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is looking for short videos on “Youth in Sustainable Food Consumption and Waste Management” by young Filipinos and other Southeast Asians. The video entries may reveal personal experiences, practices, or advocacy that showcase how young people contribute to sustainable food consumption and food waste management. Branded as the SEARCA Youth COVIDeo Contest, the competition aims to spotlight healthy diets, responsible food choices, and proper disposal or use of food waste, particularly during the pandemic. The contest is open to citizens of the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia… Read more