SEARCA News

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES. The Forest Management Bureau (FMB) under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines presented a proposal to document Benefit-Sharing Mechanisms of Community-based Forest Management (CBFM)-People's Organizations (POs) during a meeting on 15 September 2017. The ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry (AWG-SF) Strategic Response Fund [ASRF] being managed by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is designed to provide Leaders and Focal Points on social forestry of the ASEAN Member States (AMS) with seed fund to enable them to respond to immediate needs or catalyze strategic… Read more

CHIANG MAI, Thailand. Raising awareness on the importance of agricultural biodiversity or agrobiodiversity to sustainable development and food security is a basic concern that was raised in the recently concluded Regional Workshop on Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Agriculture for Sustainable Development and Food Security in Southeast Asia held at Maejo University, Chiang Mai, Thailand on 12-14 September 2017. … Read more

INGHAM, Queensland, Australia – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Asia Pacific Rural Advisory Services (APIRAS), convened a Regional Networking Conference on 8 September 2017 at the Tyto Conference Center here. The conference is part of the project titled "Supporting Smallholder Farmers in Asia and Pacific-Islands Region through Strengthened Agricultural Advisory Services (SAAS)." … Read more

Officials of Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) led by Mr. Andrew Hsein Chang Lee, Director-General of the Ministry's Public Diplomacy Coordination Council (tenth from left), visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) at its headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna as part of its efforts to promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation in agriculture between Taiwan and the Philippines. … Read more

SEARCA conducted a Short Course on Cropping Systems Models and its Application for Climate Impact Assessment at the SEARCA Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. The entry-level course, which ran from 4-8 September 2017, described a practical approach for simulating crop production using the empirical and dynamical approach. … Read more

Three managers and an officer of the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Food and Nutrition (RECFON) based in Jakarta, Indonesia visited SEARCA on 23-25 August 2017 as part of the SEAMEO Staff Exchange Program.  The delegation included Dr. Dwi Nastiti Iswarawanti, Manager for Training; Ms. Kusyanti Febriani Hapsari, Manager for Finance of Accounting; Mr. Mochammad Perbowo, Manager for Human Resources and General Affairs; and Ms. Evi Ermayani, Partnership Officer. … Read more

BOGOR, Indonesia – A working committee for the Southeast Asia Rural Advisory Services (SEARAS) Network was formed during the regional meeting on rural advisory services on 26 August 2017 at Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) here.  The meeting was attended by representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and international organizations, which include the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), SEARCA, SEAMEO Regional Center for Tropical Biology (BIOTROP), World Agroforestry Centre, ASEAN Working Group for Agricultural Training and Education (AWGATE), Higher Education for Sustainable Agriculture (HESA), and Food Systems in Southeast Asia Project. … Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna, Philippines. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) was invited by the Indonesia Ministry of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration to present its major accomplishments and implementation strategies in community development at the 2017 Village Development Forum themed Representing the Village: Democracy, Autonomy, and Prosperity. This was held at the Sari Pan Pacific Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia on 24-25 August 2017. … Read more

Los Baños. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)-ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry (AWG-SF) Strategic Response Fund [ASRF] program management unit invites ASEAN Member States (AMS) to submit proposals on Social Forestry. ASRF under the ASEAN-Swiss Partnership on Social Forestry and Climate Change (ASFCC) Phase 3 is designed to provide AWG-SF Leaders and Focal Points with seed fund to enable them to respond to immediate needs or catalyze strategic actions that will address emerging issues and opportunities to which response of the AMS and AWG-SF is critical. … Read more

Thirty-one students from seven-member universities of the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) converged at Kasetsart University (KU) on 17 – 18 August 2017 for the 3rd UC Graduate Forum with the theme, "Combatting Food and Energy Insecurity and Climate Change through Sustainable and Inclusive Agricultural Technologies and Innovations." The Forum was opened by Dr. Chongrak Wachrinrat, KU President, after a message given by Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit, Jr., SEARCA Director. Dr. Chantavit Sujatanond, Director of SEAMEO Regional Center for Higher Education and Development (RIHED), delivered the keynote speech, while Dr. Buncha Chinnasri… Read more