SEARCA in the News

ネイチャーベースのカーボンクレジット創出販売事業を展開するGreen Carbon株式会社（代表取締役：大北潤、以下：Green Carbon（読み；グリーンカーボン））は、東南アジア地域における持続可能な農業の推進及び農業由来のカーボンクレジット創出に向けて、東南アジア教育大臣機構（SEAMEO）傘下の東南アジア地域農学高等教育研究センター（以下SEARCA※１）とMOU（以下、本MOU）を締結したことをお知らせします。 本MOUに基づき、と自然由来のカーボンクレジットのプロジェクト開発における協力を推進していくと共に、土壌炭素貯留を促進するカーボンファーミング※2に注力し、カーボンクレジット創出を目指します。… Read more

The following link will take you to INQUIRER.net:BIZ BUZZ: DA execs take on new roleshttps://plus.inquirer.net/business/biz-buzz-da-execs-take-on-new-roles… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is pleased to announce the launch of three regional training programs and one international conference in 2025. These initiatives aim to empower faculty and staff from higher education institutions, extension agencies, government and private sector institutions, and civil society organizations (CSOs) across Southeast Asia. The programs and conference focus on enhancing leadership, innovation, and development within the agriculture sector. Here are the upcoming events: 1. Leadership Development Program for Higher Education Institutions in Southeast Asia (LDP-HEIs in SEA) Theme: "Designing and Leading Your University to the Desired… Read more

MANILA, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has appointed Mercedita Sombilla, a former agriculture undersecretary, as its 12th director and its first female head in nearly 60 years. Sombilla's three-year term as director of one of the leading non-profit organizations in agriculture in the region started on April 1. SEARCA noted that Sombilla's appointment comes after her distinguished public service career. Sombilla served as an undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture during the initial years of the current administration. Sombilla has been a long-standing policy advocate at the National Economic and… Read more

THE Los Baños, Laguna-based Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) held a leadership transition on March 24, marking the end of Glenn Gregorio's tenure as center director from 2019 to 2025. Leah Lyn Domingo, SEARCA Partnership Unit public relations specialist, said SEARCA hosted a leadership turnover ceremony to officially mark the transition of leadership from Gregorio to Mercedita Agcaoili-Sombilla as the new center director, whose term of office began on April 1. Sombilla, formerly an undersecretary at the National Economic and Development Authority, becomes the first woman to serve as the head… Read more

(Part 1) The Philippine agriculture sector accounts for about 10% of total GDP but employs some 22% of the Philippine labor force, already exposing the low productivity of those working in farming. It is not a surprise that some 70% of those who fall below the poverty line (16% of the total population and about 22% of total households) are in the farming, fisheries and forestry sector. If we expand the definition from just farming to the entire value chain called agribusiness (which includes post-harvest, storage, logistics, food processing and retailing), the contribution to GDP can rise to 30%. The… Read more

Organized by the Los Baños Science Community Foundation, Inc. (LBSCFI), the 16th Los Baños SyenSaya Science Festival showcased events, competitions, and exhibits that featured member-agencies' science, technology, and innovation (STI) programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) and services last March 11-13, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-CALABARZON participated in the festival, at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Laguna. DOST-CALABARZON's programs, projects, and services Anchored to the DOST's National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (NSTW), the festival adopted the theme "Teknolohiya at Inobasyon: Kabalikat sa Matatag, Maginhawa, at Panatag na Kinabukasan." One of its highlights was the Wonderama… Read more

AS part of the Bagong Pilipinas vision, the Department of Education (DepEd) is strengthening the role of micro-credentials in empowering young Filipinos, particularly those in farm schools and rural communities. Sec. Sonny Angara highlighted this initiative during a recent visit to the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization – Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEAMEO SEARCA) in Los Baños, Laguna. Following a partnership with SEAMEO SEARCA, Sec. Angara underscored the need for direct support for farm school learners, technical assistance for the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) and School-Plus-Home Gardens, and innovations in food security… Read more

Le 16e Festival des Sciences SyenSaya de Los Baños, organisé par la Los Baños Science Community foundation, Inc. (LBSCFI), a mis en lumière les programmes, projets et activités (PPA) et services scientifiques, technologiques et d’innovation (STI) des agences membres du 11 au 13 mars. Le Département de la Science et de la Technologie (DOST)-CALABARZON a participé au festival, à l’Université des Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Laguna. Programmes, projets et services du DOST-CALABARZON Ancré à la Semaine nationale de la science, de la technologie et de l’innovation (NSTW) du DOST, le festival a adopté le thème « Teknolohiya at Inobasyon… Read more

Dr. Mercedita A. Sombilla, a renowned economist with decades of experience in agricultural policy and regional development, has been appointed the new Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) effective 1 April 2025. This appointment also makes her the first woman to lead SEARCA in its nearly 60-year history. Her appointment follows a distinguished career marked by thought leadership and significant contributions to agricultural economics, public policy, and regional development. As Undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Agriculture and a long-standing policy advocate at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), where… Read more