Sharing the commitment to harness knowledge sharing and learning in advancing the agriculture sector in the Philippines and the region, SEARCA and the Philippine Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PPSA) launched the Learning Alliance Working Group (WG) on 27 June 2023 at the Ascott Hotel, Taguig City, Metro Manila. The event gathered more than 40 stakeholders from the academe, industry, and government (AIG).
More than 40 AIG stakeholders from different organizations and institutions participated in the event.
With SEARCA as lead, the Learning Alliance WG seeks to support research efforts on agriculture and sustainable development and create market-driven solutions that contribute toward lifting smallholder livelihoods at scale. This initiative is also aligned with the Center's goal of developing a knowledge platform that will not only provide credible, research-based information but also fuel future research activities, policy development, and technological innovations. This is further linked to developing and sustaining an interactive knowledge-sharing ecosystem through a community of practice (CoP) that will use and provide inputs to the knowledge platform.
PPSA Country Director Amy Melissa Chua noted that they have been actively working to reactivate their various working groups, which aim to address cross-cutting concerns among different sectors. She likewise emphasized the significance of building a CoP comprised of like-minded institutions. "Knowledge and learning enable key agriculture players and farmers to adopt best practices, use innovative tools and technologies, and make informed decisions that help boost productivity, mitigate climate change, reduce food loss and food insecurity, enhance food safety and quality, and achieve sustainable agricultural development in the Philippines," she said.
(from left) PPSA Country DirectorAmy Melissa Chua and SEARCA Deputy Director for Programs, Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam give their opening messages.
Meanwhile, SEARCA Deputy Director for Programs Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam echoed this sentiment and assured the Center's support this endeavor. "It is our hope that this platform will serve as a catalyst for a meaningful discourse and adoption of agriculture knowledge and innovation. We strongly believe that by fostering effective partnerships and working together toward a common goal, we can make a significant impact in improving the quality of life of agricultural communities," she stated. "We also hope that with the diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise of the CoP, we can identify effective strategies and solutions that will address the challenges facing agricultural communities today," Dr. Adam added.
Mr. Jerome Cayton Barradas, Project Coordinator II from the Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD) introduced SEARCA's Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources (AFNR) Knowledge Platform. As the "central hub" of AFNR knowledge from research, policy, and practice, it will house SEARCA's digital platforms, such as the SEARCA Platform to Attain Collaboration and Engagement (SPACE) and the Southeast Asian Agri-Tech Transfer (SAAT) Hub. Mr. Barradas also discussed the platform's proposed content and its framework including knowledge generation, exchange, and utilization.
(from left) Mr. Jerome Cayton Barradas from SEARCA-RTLD and Asst. Professor Reianne Quilloy from UPLB-CDC lead the discussions on the AFNR Knowledge Platform and Community of Practice, respectively.
Asst. Professor Reianne Quilloy from the University of the Philippines Los Baños-College of Development Communication (UPLB-CDC) spoke about her experiences in managing the International Rice Research Institute-Learning Alliance (IRRI-LA) in selected Southeast Asian countries. The LA applied a multistakeholder approach characterized by recurrent learning cycles (Plan- Act- Reflect and Capture). She shared that the LAs were generally well received, sparking multistakeholder collaboration and enabling transformative leadership. Moreover, their initiatives harnessed collective reflection and action that led to co-developing innovations and sustainable use of technologies. Negotiation also played a crucial role in creating ideal contracts that will work for private sectors and ultimately benefit smallholder farmers.
The event concluded with a workshop identifying the existing knowledge and learning resources and gaps of the AIG sectors and decide on the WG's strategic approach and activities for 2023–24.
The participants during the workshop session