SEARCA in the News

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna --The first virtual youth camp organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) convened young professionals, agripreneurs, public servants, and students who lead projects and advocate for Philippine agriculture last June 19 via Zoom. SEARCA organized the youth camp to gather youth perspectives on challenges and solution in the agri-food system, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two United Nations (UN) Food Systems Champions—Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA Director, and Cherrie Atilano, AGREA President and Department of Agriculture (DA) Food Security Ambassadress—shared their experience in agriculture and underscored the… Read more

“The baseline of farming is seeds,” Dr. Siang Hee Tan, executive director of Singapore-based CropLife Asia, said at an online forum organized by the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture via its SEARCA Online Learning and Virtual Engagement (SOLVE) platform. Dr. Tan’s statement sums up why SEARCA conducted the webinar for farmers and seed producers in the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia. SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio himself is a believer that good farming business starts with the right seeds. National Seed Quality Control Services Chief Ruel Gesmundo of the… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) recently hosted a dialogue aimed at making the region's food systems stronger and more sustainable. Results of the "Breaking Silos: Transforming Agricultural Education and Research toward Sustainable Food Systems in Southeast Asia" dialogue will be used to inform the first-ever United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) in New York this September, SEARCA director Glenn Gregorio said. Noting that food systems were still recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Gregorio said the May 18, 2021 gathering brought together 56 participants in three discussion sessions. "The dialogue… Read more

Singapore-based CropLife Asia, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting plant science, sees strong seed systems as key to attaining food security. "The baseline of farming is seeds," said Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia executive director, at an online forum organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). The online forum was held via SEARCA Online Virtual Learning and Engagement or SOLVE platform. According SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio, this statement from Tan sums up why SEARCA conducted the webinar for farmers and seed producers in the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia. "I… Read more

Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), talks about how SEARCA is engaging the youth in agriculture in the fourth episode of "Tayo'y Magtanim" hosted by Mr. Ike Navarro… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) recently inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop and promote cooperation on education, training, research, technology transfer, and agri-incubation for the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia. The virtual MOU signing was done on April 29, 2021, via Zoom. DOST-PCAARRD views the partnership as a critical strategy to develop and transfer innovative technologies, expand networks and mutually-share resources. The Council has long realized that its… Read more

The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) have committed to work closely to fuel up the development and transfer of innovative technologies not only in the Philippines, but also in Southeast Asian region. The PCAARRD and SEARCA signed on April 29 a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to “develop and promote cooperation on education, training, research, technology transfer, and agri-incubation for the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia.” DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director Reynaldo V… Read more

INTERNATIONALIZATION units in many higher education institutions (HEIs) have begun setting up or if they already had, are improving on it, especially after the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) issued Memo Order 55, s. 2016 (CMO). Provincial universities, not wanting to be behind, and with our Asean presence becoming strongly felt in many spheres of life, many in academe vie for scholarships of their academics to experience some exposure to off-shore studies - to the culture of academe and around it. Why? Because the popular strategy for internationalization is "study abroad."Internationalization as space and as process. Internationalization in its broad… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has been tapped by the Research Institute for Asean and East Asia (ERIA) to develop the Asean Guidelines for the Utilization of Digital Technologies for Asean Food and Agricultural Sector, its news release said. SEARCA is expected to complete the guidelines in June 2021. The development of the guidelines is part of the project “Enhancing Food Supply Chain Resilience and Food Security in Asean with Utilization of Digital Technologies” of ERIA with the Asean Secretariat. SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio said the “digital technologies and innovations… Read more

THE Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) has tapped a Philippine-based inter-government treaty organization to develop the guidelines for the utilization of digital technologies for agriculture in the Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN). Glenn Gregorio, director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), said his agency was tapped to develop the guidelines that will be part of the project titled "Enhancing Food Supply Chain Resilience and Food Security in ASEAN with Utilization of Digital Technologies" of ERIA with the ASEAN Secretariat. "Digital technologies and innovations are evident to support… Read more