SEARCA conducted the OECD-funded study to provide an overview of AIS in ASEAN Member States (AMS) with focus on solving long-term food security concerns among the AMS. The study covered governance and cross-country supply of agricultural innovations, public and private investments in AIS, and knowledge flows via education and extension. Its outputs will be used in the second phase of the study, which is an in-depth review of AIS policies in the individual ASEAN countries.
The AIS study is part of a bigger initiative of OECD with ASEAN titled “Building Food Security and Managing Risk: A Focus on Southeast Asia,” which ties in with SEARCA’s priority focus on food security within the overarching theme of inclusive and sustainable agricultural and rural development (ISARD) of its current five-year plan.
Dr. Saguiguit said OECD is keen to continue its collaboration with SEARCA after being referred to the Center at the ASEAN where SEARCA is widely regarded as a major player and resource center on agricultural and rural development in the region.
SEARCA is the first center of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) to cooperate with the OECD, an organization dedicated to economic development which counts the SEAMEO associate member countries (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and United Kingdom) among its 34 members. (Leah Lyn D. Domingo)