SEARCA News

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU) institutionalized their mutual understanding to collaborate in a number of areas of common interest such as education, research, and training. In a virtual signing ceremony held via Zoom on 14 December 2020, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two institutions was signed by Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA Director, and Dr. Max P. Guillermo, TAU President, with Mr. Joselito G. Florendo, SEARCA Deputy Director for Administration, and Dr. Christina N. Ferrer, External Linkages and International Affairs Director, as witnesses. Dr… Read more

The Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) releases its latest issue with studies examining two key crops in Asia, rice and palm oil, and recommending policies and practices to bolster the performance of these sectors. Malaysia’s plantation industry and economy’s dependence on foreign labor can prevent optimum productivity by disincentivizing mechanization and innovation. The impacts of recent migration trends on mechanization, productivity, safety, and worker turnover in plantations are discussed in the first paper of the journal. Results of this analysis suggest that foreign worker inflows are insufficient to satisfy labor requirements, even as technology and farming best practices… Read more

The 55th anniversary celebration of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) was memorialized with tree-planting by Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and other SEAMEO centers in the Philippines. The  SEAMEO Regional Centre for Educational Innovation and Technology (INNOTECH) based in Quezon City and SEAMEO Regional Centre for Public Health, Hospital Administration, Environmental and Occupational Health (TROPMED Philippines) located in Manila each planted a tree in their respective compounds. Leading the tree-planting were Dr. Ramon C. Bacani, INNOTECH Director, and D. Vicente Y. Belizario, Jr., TROPMED Philippines Director. On the other hand… Read more

During the 33rd UC Executive Board meeting on 24-25 November 2020, Maejo University in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Visayas State University and Central Luzon State University, both from the Philippines, introduced their institutions and expressed intent to join the consortium. In response, the Executive Board members unanimously agreed to their inclusion as new affiliate members of the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC). Maejo University in Chiang Mai, Thailand was conceptualized by HM The King and was established in 1934 as the Northern Agricultural Teachers Training School. It became a public university in… Read more

The Agropolis Fondation (AF) of France, in collaboration with Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and Biovision Foundation, recently launched the Call for Applications on Innovative Co-learning for Agriculture-based Solutions. The objective of the Call is to capitalize on, enhance or strengthen such practices as well as to explore new transdisciplinary, crosscutting or resolutely different methodologies, tools, approaches and sectors. It also aims to support innovative, inter-sectoral and cross-disciplinary learning, for promoting agroecological transition through transformative approaches and tools, innovative teams and networks. The present Call covers three crosscutting axes, namely: Axis 1: Agriculture… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA, Philippines - The Southeast Asian  Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) hosted a panel session titled “One Health/Eco-health Perspectives in Agri-Food Systems: Sustaining Livelihoods and Improving Wellbeing” during the 1st National Conference on Health, Environment, and Economic Development organized by the Economy and Environment Group Philippines (EEGP) on 19 November 2020 via MS Teams. SEARCA’s collaboration with EEG for this conference was spearheaded by its Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD) under its Program Head, Dr. Pedcris M. Orencio, with support from the Center’s Management Information Services Unit (MISU) and Training for Development… Read more

Cognizant of the potential of digital solutions in transforming agri-food systems, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study (SEARCA) and Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) inked an agreement to develop the ASEAN Guidelines for accelerating the transformation of food and agriculture through digital technologies and innovations.  This collaboration is in line with the implementation of the project’s Component 3 under ERIA’s umbrella project with the ASEAN Secretariat titled “Enhancing Food Supply Chain Resilience and Food Security in ASEAN with Utilization of Digital Technologies”.  The crafting of the regional guidelines will equip the ASEAN member states… Read more

The NTU-SEARCA Joint Scholarship Program for Global Agriculture Technology and Genomic Science (Global ATGS) is now accepting applications for the 2nd round until 5 February 2021 for AY 2021-2022. The Master Program in Global ATGS is a cross-disciplinary program supported by the College of Bioresources and Agriculture and College of Life Science at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan. The goal of Global ATGS is to train international academic and industrial leaders in advanced agriculture. The main fields of this program are digital agriculture, genomics, and modern breeding science. The joint scholarship program between NTU and SEARCA aims to cultivate… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA, Philippines – An inception meeting among representatives of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the State Universities and Colleges-Association of Colleges of Agriculture in the Philippines (SUC-ACAP) to discuss arrangements and preparatory activities for the “Levelling-Up Philippine Higher Education Institutions in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Natural Resources (LevelUPHEI AFAR)” project was held via Zoom on 3 December 2020. The LevelUPHEI AFAR is a project under the International Continuing Professional Education (ICPE) Program of the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED). SEARCA will implement the project with the 74 members of… Read more

The Kapisanang Kimika ng Pilipinas – Southern Tagalog, Inc. (KKP-ST, Inc.) launched its 49th Annual Convention that revolved around the importance of chemistry in advancing agriculture during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was held online via Zoom on 20-21 November 2020. Prof. Joseph Carmelo K. San Pascual, KKP-ST, Inc. President, gave his welcome remarks and introduced this year’s convention theme “Chemistry in Agriculture Amidst the Pandemic”. Prof. San Pascual further elaborated the conference objectives and its lifelong mission in harmonizing with other disciplines to fight food shortage and food security. He said “This conference aims to situate and establish the relevance… Read more