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The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), through its Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD), and the Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) have partnered for the project titled Evaluation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF-RESP) 2019-2024. The initiative formally kicked off during an inception meeting held on 19 March 2024. The RCEF was established under the Rice Tariffication Law and the Philippines' liberalized rice trade policy to help Filipino rice farmers become more competitive and increase their income. As the lead implementing agency of the… Read more
A professor from the University of Guelph (UofG) and her student visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 26 March 2025 to explore potential areas for collaboration. UofG is a comprehensive public research university located in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Helen Hambly, a professor at the UofG Capacity Development and Extension Office, and Mr. Francis Jabile, a master's student, presented several funding opportunities available to Southeast Asian countries. These opportunities emphasize nature-based solutions and socially inclusive approaches. Dr. Hambly elaborated that UofG actively supports research projects related to food security, agriculture, and… Read more
QUEZON CITY, Philippines—Dr. Maria Cristeta Cuaresma, Senior Program Head of the Education and Collective Learning Department, and Ms. Sharon Malaiba, Unit Head for Partnerships, represented the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) at the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Council (SEAMEC) Flagship Program 3 (FP3) titled "Ready SEA: Showcasing the Integration of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change in the Teaching and Learning Process," held at Novotel Manila Araneta City Hotel on 25 March 2025. With the theme "Harmonizing Futures: Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change in Southeast Asian Education," the FP3 brought… Read more
PALAWAN, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) conducted an Endline Study on Nutrition and Socio-economic Components and the Monitoring and Evaluation of School Gardens in the nine pilot schools of the School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement Enterprise (SHGBEE) Project in Busuanga Island, Palawan. The endline study builds upon the insights gained from the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP), the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP), and the School-Plus-Home Gardens Project. It primarily aims to evaluate the impact of school-based feeding initiatives on enhancing food and nutrition security in Busuanga Island, Palawan. Additionally, the… Read more
H.E. Sonny Angara, Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) of the Philippines and President of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 31 March 2025. Along with him were Undersecretary for Senior Personnel Oversight and the Head of Procuring Entity Atty. Peter Irving Corvera; Assistant Secretary for External Partnerships – International and Government Cooperation Georgina Ann Hernandez Yang; Assistant Secretary for Operations Dr. Dexter Galban; and officials from DepEd Laguna, Dr. Editha Atendido, Schools Division Superintendent; Mr. Jaypee Lopo, Assistant Schools Division… Read more
The Agri-Innovation Forum 2025 concluded with a celebration of winning entries presented by student and researcher teams across Region III of the Philippines. The forum was organized by the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 17 to 21 March 2025. Innovators submitted posters showcasing their technologies and took the stage to pitch their ideas in either the student or researcher categories. Evaluators from government agencies and the academe declared five Best Pitch winners and three Best Posters in each category. The cash awards ranged… Read more
Dr. Mercedita A. Sombilla, a renowned economist with decades of experience in agricultural policy and regional development, has been appointed the new Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) effective 1 April 2025. This appointment also makes her the first woman to lead SEARCA in its nearly 60-year history. Her appointment follows a distinguished career marked by thought leadership and significant contributions to agricultural economics, public policy, and regional development. As Undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Agriculture and a long-standing policy advocate at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), where… Read more
The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)'s Youth in Agri Talk Show is airing its third episode on 31 March 2025 at 7:00 p.m. (GMT +8:00) on the Center's Facebook page. The episode "Growing the Future: The Power of School and Home Gardens" will showcase the impact of school and home gardens and their significant role in promoting food security in communities. Philippine Department of Education Assistant Secretary for Operations Dr. Dexter Galban will be featured as guest expert. He will answer compelling questions about gardening from young students in Cambodia, the Philippines, and… Read more
The 49th SEARCA Online Learning and Virtual Engagements (SOLVE) webinar held on 17 March 2025 featured Dr. Reinald Adrian Pugoy, who discussed artificial intelligence's (AI) transformative role in education in his talk, "Adopt & Adapt: Navigating AI Integration in Schools and Universities." Dr. Pugoy is the Director of the Information and Communication Technology Development Office and an Associate Professor of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies, both in the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU). Dr. Pugoy highlighted AI's ability to streamline tasks, enhance productivity, accelerate research, and drive innovation. He also underscored AI's role in tackling global… Read more
The Los Baños-based, Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is preparing for a leadership transition, which will mark the end of Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio's tenure as Center Director from 2019 to 2025. As a center of excellence under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), SEARCA serves the 11 SEAMEO Member Countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. During his stewardship, SEARCA strengthened its role as a key driver of agricultural and rural development across Southeast Asia. Dr. Gregorio's vision steered… Read more
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