SEARCA in the News

The Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) launches a new look on its 15th year of publication, symbolic of the pivotal turn in its publisher's goal to contribute in addressing regional and global challenges, elevating agricultural families' quality of life through sustainable and resilient livelihoods and access to modern networks and markets. The new AJAD look highlights the iconic "tree" emblem of its publisher, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), which shows a molave tree with an interlace of grain stalks and panicles wreathed under its roots. In the same way, AJAD… Read more

Los Baños, Laguna―The Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development launches a new look on its 15th year of publication. The new AJAD look is symbolic of the pivotal turn in the goal of its publisher, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, to contribute in addressing regional and global challenges of agricultural development, and elevating the quality of life of agricultural families through sustainable and resilient livelihoods and access to modern networks and markets. The new AJAD cover prominently features the emblem of its publisher―a molave tree with an interlace of grain stalks and panicles… Read more

Prof. Joselito G. Florendo, outgoing vice president for Planning and Finance of the University of the Philippines (UP) System, has been appointed as deputy director for Administration of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) effective December 1. Florendo is an associate professor at the UP Diliman (UPD) Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business. Having served as vice president for Planning and Finance of UP from May 2014 to November 2019, Florendo brings with him an extensive experience in administration. He earlier served as assistant vice president for Planning and Finance, UP System; director… Read more

Rice scientists are developing new crop breeding approaches for a more modern breeding program. Glenn Gregorio, director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), advocates to explore alternative approaches to implementing a modern breeding program. This is to address the problem of fast-tracking the development of crop varieties for commercialization. The director also proposed the introduction of genomic selection into a crop breeding program and a strong research management approach by identifying and analyzing problems with the crop… Read more

Several regional experts have recently shared their diverse thoughts on the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) in a forum organized by Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). The RTL was recently passed with the purpose of lifting existing quantitative import restrictions on rice. With the current influx of imported rice and the consequent plunge in domestic farmgate prices, the RTL has amassed mixed reactions from various stakeholders of the local rice industry, raising the question as to whether it is indeed beneficial for the Philippine rice industry. Nonetheless, the current push for the establishment of… Read more

Los Baños, Laguna―Professor Joselito G. Florendo, outgoing vice president for Planning and Finance of the University of the Philippines System, has been appointed as deputy director for Administration of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture effective Dec. 1, 2019. Hosted by the Philippine government on the campus of UP Los Baños, SEARCA is mandated to strengthen institutional capacities toward agricultural and rural development in Southeast Asia through its programs on graduate education and institutional development, research and development, and knowledge management. Florendo is an associate professor at the UP Diliman Cesar E.A. Virata School… Read more

Recognizing the importance of integrating research, effective communication and science-based regulatory frameworks in harnessing the full potential of agri-biotechnology to fuel sustainable agricultural development, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) partnered with the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), Malaysian Biotechnology Information Center and Monash University in organizing the Asian Short Course on Agri-biotechnology, Biosafety Regulation and Communication. Now on its second year, the program aims to enable participants to have a better understanding of the entire value chain of living modified organisms (LMOs), as well as national and international… Read more

The following link will take you to INQUIRER.net: Romancing agriculturehttps://opinion.inquirer.net/125728/romancing-agriculture… Read more

Professor Joselito G. Florendo, outgoing Vice President for Planning and Finance of the University of the Philippines (UP) System, has been appointed as Deputy Director for Administration of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Hosted by the Philippine government on the campus of UP Los Baños, SEARCA is mandated to strengthen institutional capacities toward agricultural and rural development in Southeast Asia through its programs on graduate education and institutional development, research and development, and knowledge management. Florendo is an Associate Professor at the UP Diliman (UPD) Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business. Having… Read more

Economists and rice sector leaders have pushed for mixed policy recommendations in light of the Rice Tarification Law (RTL), pressing for sustained implementation yet strong and "guaranteed" farmer support. Otherwise, they said RTL may turn to be "disastrous" for the Philippines. This has been raised during the "Regional Implications in the Philippines' RTL" forum recently organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). "The challenges we always face every cropping season relative to systemic barriers to farmers' income were not addressed head on in the RTL," said Cresencio C. Paez, director of Asian… Read more