The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM)'s Faculty of Animal Science have joined forces to offer the International Training on Cage-Free Innovation and Welfare Hub to a group of thirty-one participants representing 19 State Universities and Colleges-Association of Colleges of Agriculture in the Philippines (SUC-ACAP) member universities.
The week-long training, which commenced on 10 July 2023, aimed to equip attendees with knowledge on best practices for cage-free egg production, ensuring safety and nutritional quality, and promoting sustainable farming practices for environmentally responsible agriculture. The program was developed in collaboration with Global Food Partners, a Singapore-based multinational consultancy firm that specializes in providing support and expertise to farmers and industry stakeholders to transition to best-practice cage-free egg production in Asia. The training consists of a comprehensive curriculum featuring theoretical and practical sessions to facilitate a thorough understanding and hands-on experience for the participants.
During the opening ceremony, Dr. Budi Guntoro, dean of UGM College of Animal Science, warmly welcomed the participants and provided an overview of the training program. He emphasized the commitment of the Faculty of Animal Science to staying abreast of the latest trends in the livestock industry.
Mr. Jayasimha Nuggehalli, chief operating officer of Global Food Partners, expressed the organization's dedication to establishing an ecosystem that supports the successful transition to cage-free production and sourcing in Asia.
The training aimed to foster a network of regional experts trained in high-welfare cage-free production. These experts will be instrumental in supporting local egg industries in implementing new learnings and accelerating the adoption of cage-free production and sourcing throughout the region.
Ms. Blessie Saez, senior program associate of the Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD) of SEARCA, underscored the significance of knowledge-driven growth, particularly for the sustainability and development of academic institutions. She emphasized that these types of learning events greatly contribute to the quality of teaching and learning, benefiting not only the students and the higher education institutions but the entire region as well.
The International Continuing Professional Education grants from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) have provided financial support for the delegates' participation in the training through SEARCA's Leveling-Up Philippine Higher Education Institutions in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Natural Resources (LevelUPHEI AFAR) project. This project focuses on enhancing the capacity of faculty and staff members in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and natural resources. It involves connecting Philippine HEIs with international university networks through various initiatives, including training programs, summer schools, fora, cross-visits, and faculty and student mobility. Foremost of these international networks is the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources, also known as the UC, in which UGM is a founding member, and SEARCA serves as the consortium secretariat.
In addition to the International Training on Cage-Free Innovation and Welfare Hub, SEARCA will continue to support SUC-ACAP member universities in their participation in upcoming learning events organized by UC members. These learning events, which will be taking place from August to September, will cover specialized courses on topics such as the halal industry, bioinformatics skills for plant and animal whole genome sequencing data, natural resources and environmental management science, tropical agricultural environment toward regional sustainability, ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, and aquatic animal nutrition and feed manufacturing.