SEARCA in the News

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) has tapped 16 academic institutions to provide technical assistance to their respective local government units (LGUs) on the development of Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP). CCC has slated several sessions this month for the Accelerated Climate Action and Transformation (ACT) online conference to orient representatives of 16 higher education institutions (HEIs) on climate science, issues, vulnerabilities, and risks, as part of the agency's Communities for Resilience (CORE): Convergence Initiative. The participating HEIs have previously partnered with the Commission and expressed interest and support by providing technical assistance to their respective LGUs on the development… Read more

MANILA, 6 October 2020 — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) has slated several sessions this October for the Accelerated Climate Action and Transformation (ACT) Local Online Conference, a four-part virtual discussion of the ACT Local Program to provide technical assistance to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on climate science, issues, vulnerabilities, and risks, as part of the agency's Communities for Resilience (CORE): Convergence Initiative. The ACT Local Online Conference will feature experts who will orient sixteen (16) participating HEIs on climate science; CORE Initiative; Rationalized Planning System and Enhanced Local Climate Change Action Plan (ELCCAP) development; Greenhouse Gas Inventory; Climate Change… Read more

BATANGAS CITY- 4-H Club Batangas is among the Top 10 Youth COVIDeo Contest of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) as the city's official entry in the contest. The purpose of the said contest is to show the local food production of a community despite the pandemic caused by COVID 19. With the theme "Youth and Locally Grown Food," participated by youth organizations across Asia, it features video production entries of 4-H Club Batangas which show the participation of youth in the development of agriculture in the city and the programs implemented by… Read more

Amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, malunggay (horseradish) and dilis (anchovy) are becoming "go-to" nutritional items after Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) developed malunggay powder and dilis flour. The powder and flour were deemed highly marketable under the Technology and Investment Profiles monograph series published by Southeast Asian Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). This project, funded by the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Agriculture Research (BAR), was undertaken by Dorris Gatus, project leader; Veronica Aurea Rufo, project coordinator; and Nemia Pelayo, technical adviser. The project supported the financial feasibility of the products under which the… Read more

BATAC, Ilocos Norte: The Department of Agriculture in Region 1 (DA-Ilocos) has introduced improved native garlic production technology to address the declining production of the crop there. According to the DA, Ilocos is the largest garlic-producing region, contributing more than 65 percent of the country's total. However, garlic output fell because of low-yielding varieties and high postharvest losses. Also, there was a decline in the area planted with and harvested for garlic as a result of the region›s farmers shifting to other high-value crops due to stiff competition from garlic imports. To encourage farmers to plant more garlic, the DA… Read more

Southern Luzon State University (SLSU), a state-funded university in Quezon Province, has developed a seasoning out of malunggay as well as flour out of dilis, which have been identified by international think tank Southeast Asian Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) as “highly marketable” products. In a statement, it was shown that SLSU’s Malunggay Powder and Dilis Flour (MPDF) has recently been described as highly marketable under the Technology and Investment Profiles (TIP) monograph series published by SEARCA. The study to develop MPDF was funded by the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Agriculture Research (BAR). According… Read more

STUDY on soya chips, produced and developed by a group in Camarines Norte, showed that these can help prevent malnutrition in children, especially those with autism. The study was led by Marilou Lagdameo of the Autism Recovery Network of the Philippines (ARNP). The study was featured in a monograph series, published by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture. The series analyzed the profitability and financial viability of select products and technologies, funded and promoted by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research. One of these products was soya chips.The ARNP-produced soya chips are a… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) will lead the crafting of a roadmap for the pork-based processed products value chain in the Philippines. According to SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio, the roadmap would be under the five-year “Agricultural Transformation and Market Integration in the Asean Region: Responding to Food Security and Inclusiveness Concerns” project jointly implemented by the International Food Policy Research Institute and SEARCA. Asean stands for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is made up of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Gregorio said… Read more

Local shutterbugs are invited to participate in capturing striking images of agricultural innovation in Southeast Asia for the annual Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) photo contest. The 14th SEARCA photo contest is open to citizens of Brunei Darussalam and other ASEAN member states. Themed ‘Faces of Accelerating Transformation Through Agricultural Innovation (ATTAIN)’, the contest seeks images across Southeast Asia showcasing people actively involved, contributing to, working towards, or benefitting from the following ATTAIN sub-themes. There are; agri-business models for increased productivity and income; sustainable farming systems and natural resource management (NRM); food and… Read more

The 2020 edition of the annual photo contest launched by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is in search of striking images of agricultural innovation in Southeast Asia. The SEARCA Photo Contest is open to Filipinos and nationals of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. "We are looking for beautiful images that show people taking part in activities that contribute to food and nutrition security, sustainable farming systems and natural resource management, agribusiness for increased productivity and income, enhanced agricultural and rural development (ARD) towards climate… Read more