SEARCA in the News

A ROUNDTABLE discussion shone a spotlight on breastfeeding as the first food system and the importance of the mother’s milk as the first food of newborn humans. Jointly organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and LATCH Los Baños (LATCH LB) and supported by Kalusugan ng Mag-Ina, Inc. (KMI) and Arugaan, the online forum revisited current health systems through first-hand accounts of experts and grassroots community workers on pediatric education, re-lactation, and optimal infant feeding practices. Breastfeeding is not just about the product that is the mother’s milk, but also the process… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna --Transforming rice farms to be more resilient to climate change needs more science and technology enabling “transfarm” to produce climate change-ready crop varieties as well as quality seeds, mechanization and digitalized farming, nutritional revolution in farming through smart fertilization, and water-saving technologies such as drip irrigation. This was the gist of the message of Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) at the first of three webinars in a series dubbed “Pagtugon sa mga Hamon sa Pagbabago sa Klima” organized by the National Academy of… Read more

Farmer-leaders from the Philippines joined other countries in an international dialogue where they urged countries to transform food systems by giving farmers access to affordable and sustainable technologies.The Southeast Asian Regional Center on Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and Singapore-based CropLife Asia (CLA) recently convened a virtual independent dialogue on “Transforming Pathways: Working with Farmers in the Agri-food Systems”. With a view to enhancing farmers’ collaboration with academe, industry, and government (AIG) towards transformed food systems, more than 30 farmer-leaders from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam participated in the three-hour dialogue. The dialogue was conducted in the… Read more

In the process of transforming food systems, smallholder farmers need access to appropriate, affordable, profit-enhancing technologies and crop systems that are sustainable and do not cause ecological degradation or social conditions. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and Singapore-based CropLife Asia (CLA) thus convened a virtual independent dialogue on "Transforming Pathways: Working with Farmers in the Agri-food Systems" in the lead up to the landmark United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) in September 2021. The dialogue discussed using digital technologies in producing safe and nutritious food for all and developing policies that promote… Read more

A TECHNO-demo-learning farm established under a Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) project has been turned over to Mindoro State University (MinSU) in Victoria, Oriental Mindoro. The ceremonial turnover of the "Upgrading the Calamansi Value Chain towards Improving the Calamansi Industry of Oriental Mindoro" project to showcase good agricultural practices (GAP) was held part virtually and part on site. Presiding were Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director, and Levy Arago Jr., MinSU president. "SEARCA put up the techno-demo-learning farm at the MinSU campus with technical assistance from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, a partner… Read more

YOUNG Filipino researchers joined their contemporaries from Indonesia and Vietnam in a recent mentorship workshop that helped them improve their proficiency in crafting research proposals with the long view of improving the quality and effectiveness of research in agriculture and food systems. The mentorship workshop was convened by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in partnership with the Sweden-based International Foundation for Science (IFS). Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA director, said the workshop is an integral part of the IFS-SEARCA Mentorship Program for Advance Grants for individual and collaborative research initiatives that will… Read more

The Parañaque City government launched an edible landscaping program called "Mag Edible Landscaping Tayo" to promote better nutrition and appreciation of organic farming. Mayor Edwin Olivarez who initiated the project Food Always in the Home (FAITH) and Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, director of Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) led the launch at the city nursery garden in Barangay San Isidro. Olivarez said Gregorio shared SEARCA's efforts on edible landscaping and urban gardening in the country during the past decades. SEARCA was able to implement the School plus Home Gardens Project (S+HGP) in more… Read more

To promote better nutrition and appreciation of organic farming in the megacity, an edible landscaping program was launched by the city of Parañaque and the University of the Philippines-Los Banos through South East Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Held at the city nursery garden in Barangay San Isidro, the relaunching of the Food Always In The Home (FAITH) program with a theme, “mag Edible Landscaping tayO”, was initiated by Mayor Edwin Olivarez and Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA director. During the launching, Gregorio shared SEARCA’s efforts on edible landscaping and urban gardening in the country… Read more

Para mahikayat sa tamang nutrisyon at organic farming, naglunsad ng landscaping program ang pamahalaang lungsod ng Parañaque katuwang ang University of the Philippines-Los Banos sa pamamagitan ng Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Idinaos sa nursery garden ng Bgy. San Isidro ang Food Always in the Home (FAITH) program na may temang 'Mag-edible Landscaping Tayo' na pinangunahan ni Mayor Edwin Olivarez at Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA director. Sa pagtitipon, binahagi ni Gregorio ang mga proyekto ng SEARCA sa larangan ng edible landscaping at urban gardening sa bansa sa nakalipas ng mga dekada. "We… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) conducted the first virtual youth camp to convene young professionals, agripreneurs, public servants and students who lead projects and advocate for Philippine agriculture.SEARCA organized the youth camp to gather youth perspectives on challenges and solutions in the agri-food system, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.The first virtual youth camp was organized by the members of the SEARCA Young Ambassadors Platform or Sayap under the Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation or #Y4Agri, SEARCA's banner youth initiative until 2025.During the virtual youth camp on June 19 via Zoom… Read more