SEARCA in the News

PROSPECTS for growth in agriculture remain tenuous due tc the ongoing impact of the pandemic, with natural disasters holding the potential to inflict setbacks, and the worst-case scenario estimated in the negative single-digit range, a professor at Pampanga State Agricultural University said.  Roy S. Kempis said in an e-mail interview the calamities can "easily" wipe out any progress made in growing agricultural output in 2021.  "My conservative estimate for the value of production of the sector in 2021 ranges from minus 0.70% to growth of 1%,' Mr. Kempis said, adding that his pessimistic scenario is between a contraction of 1%… Read more

The Philippines’ agriculture sector has survived a volcano eruption that blanketed tons of farm yield with ashes and sustained production within three quarters into the pandemic, but it only took three typhoons to expose its vulnerability. And Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) National Manager Raul Montemayor has one piece of advice to the government, which is to focus on helping farmers and fishermen recover. “We need to help the farmers first,” Montemayor said in a text exchange, referring to the damage that the recent typhoons, especially Rolly and Ulysses, caused in the lives of poor agriculture stakeholders. The government estimates… Read more

Three state universities have recently partnered with the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca). Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU) and Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) have inked pacts with Searca to work together on areas of mutual interest such as education, research and training, a Searca news release said. For its part, the Batangas State University (BatStateU) also agreed to work with Los Baños, Laguna, -based Searca in the same areas, with special focus on innovative agricultural technologies, agribusiness incubation and technology transfer, the news release added. Signatories to the five-year memoranda of… Read more

CROP biotechnology has reduced pesticide use associated with environmental impact and has been proven to be beneficial for agricultural biodiversity, according to a United Kingdom-based agricultural economist and scientists from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) during a recent online technical forum. In a recent online technical forum titled “Greener Greens: Environmental Impact of Biotech Crops” which was convened by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca), Graham Brookes, an agricultural economist at the UK-based PG Economics Ltd., presented the cumulative impact of using genetically modified (GM) crop technology in agriculture from… Read more

THE Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU), Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) and Batangas State University (BatStateU) have partnered with the Philippine government-hosted, Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) to revitalize the agriculture sector in the country. TAU and LSPU have formalized ties with Searca on areas of mutual interest such as education, research and training while BatStateU also agreed to cooperate in the same areas with special focus on innovative agricultural technologies, agribusiness incubation and technology transfer. Under the partnership, a five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Searca Director Dr. Glenn… Read more

THE Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU), Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) and Batangas State University (BatStateU) have recently partnered with the Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). TAU and LSPU have formalized ties with SEARCA on areas of mutual interest such as education, research and training while BatStateU agreed to cooperate in the same areas with special focus on innovative agricultural technologies, agribusiness incubation and technology transfer. Under the partnership, a five-year memoranda of understanding (MoU) was signed by Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director; Max Guillermo, TAU president; Mario R. Briones, LSPU president; and… Read more

THREE state universities partnered with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture in pursuit of training and technology transfer. The Tarlac Agricultural University and Laguna State Polytechnic University signed agreements under which they will work together on areas of mutual interest such as education, research, and training. Meanwhile, the Batangas State University also signed an agreement with special focus on innovative agricultural technologies, agribusiness incubation, and technology transfer. Signatories to the five-year memoranda of understanding include SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, Dr. Max P. Guillermo, TAU president; Dr. Mario R. Briones, LSPU president; and… Read more

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), of which the Philippines is a chartered member, celebrated its 55th  year in November. SEAMEO has 26 regional centers across Southeast Asia, three of which are hosted by the Philippine government. The country is represented in the SEAMEO Council by the Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), a news release said. “Indeed, SEAMEO has come a long way since its inception in 1965 and has taken pride of its achievements over the years as Southeast Asia’s longest running regional organization for promoting quality education, science and culture,” said Dr. Ethel Agnes… Read more

Three state universities have recently partnered with the Philippine government-hosted, Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU) and Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) have formalized ties with SEARCA work together on areas of mutual interest such as education, research, and training, while Batangas State University (BatStateU) also agreed to cooperate with SEARCA in the same areas with special focus on innovative agricultural technologies, agribusiness incubation, and technology transfer. Signatories to the five-year memoranda of understanding (MOU) signed by SEARCA with the three universities were SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B… Read more

The University of the Philippines Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and Stockholm-based International Foundation for Science (IFS) have signed a deal on the provision of research grants to help push food security in Southeast Asia. According to SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio, the grants are under the auspices of a Mentorship Program for Advanced Grants, jointly funded by SEARCA and IFS under an agreement signed on November 26. These grants are available to Filipinos, as well as citizens of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. He said the agreement was the… Read more