Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA Center Director and the 2024 Outstanding Professional of the Year in Agriculture, speaks to newly licensed agriculturists at their oath-taking ceremony on 20 January 2025. Inset shows the newly licensed agriculturists taking their oath at the event organized by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
Asian journal marks 20 years, navigates a changing agricultural landscape
The Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD), the internationally peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), will mark its 20th anniversary with critical insights on food security and resilience in a volatile agricultural landscape at a seminar to be held on 3 February 2025, 9:30 a.m., at the SEARCA Umali Auditorium and livestreamed via Zoom and Facebook.
Dubbed AJAD@20, the event will feature a seminar showcasing the special 20th anniversary issue titled "Asian Agriculture and Development in a Dynamic and Volatile Landscape of Demands, Peoples, and Risks."
A distinguished lineup of national, regional, and international leaders in agricultural and rural development will gather for the celebration. SEARCA Center Director Dr. Glenn Gregorio will welcome guests, including three of his predecessors, top academicians, scientific authors, and experts from the Los Baños science community.
Notably, Dr. Arsenio Balisacan, Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and former SEARCA Center Director, will provide a historical perspective on AJAD, having played a pivotal role in its inception. AJAD Editor Dr. Cielito Habito, former NEDA Director General and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary, will officially launch the AJAD Vol. 21 20th Anniversary Issue.
Highlighting the event are two paper presentations that offer critical insights into the evolving agricultural landscape. Dr. Peter Timmer, Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Development Studies, Emeritus at Harvard University, will present his retrospective essay titled "How I Learned to Stabilize Rice Prices and Why." The discussion will be further enriched by reactors Dr. Bruce Tolentino, SEARCA Senior Fellow and Former Monetary Board Member of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and Dr. Samarendu Mohanty, Vice President of The Rice Trader.
Dr. Alfredo Mahar Francisco Lagmay, Executive Director of the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute, will discuss "An Impact-Based Flood Forecasting System for Citizen Empowerment," which underscores the vital role of science-driven solutions in mitigating climate-related risks.
The event is open to the public. To join the discourse via Zoom, register at bit.ly/48SOLVE.
SEARCA tapped to lead PH rural dev't project evaluation
The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has been commissioned to lead the evaluation of the Philippine Rural Development Project of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Initiated in 2014, the PRDP is a DA flagship program intended to increase rural incomes, modernize the agri-fishery sector, and establish climate-resilient and market-oriented investments. After over a decade of implementation, this evaluation seeks to assess the program's performance, measure its impact on beneficiaries, and generate evidence-based recommendations to guide the next phase of the PRDP and similar future initiatives.
The kick-off meeting for the "Combined Endline and Baseline Evaluation Study for the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project" was held on 22 January 2025 at the SEARCA in Los Baños, Laguna.
The study will assess the outcomes of the Original Loan (OL), First Additional Financing (AF1), and Second Additional Financing (AF2). It will also establish a baseline for the PRDP Scale-Up initiative designed to expand and sustain the gains of the original project.
Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA Center Director, highlighted the importance of the evaluation in assessing the progress made by the PRDP and identifying areas for improvement to promote sustainable agricultural development.
He also highlighted SEARCA's long and successful history of improving agriculture and rural communities in Southeast Asia, spanning almost 60 years, which makes the Center a trustworthy partner for this important study.
The kick-off meeting served as a venue to align expectations, finalize technical approaches, and address initial concerns among the SEARCA team led by its Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD), DA-PRDP representatives, and World Bank officials.
Dr. Ernesto Brown, the study's team leader, led the discussion and outlined the evaluation scope and data collection methods to ensure a unified understanding of the project objectives.
At the close of the meeting, Angelita Martir, Officer-in-Charge and National Deputy Project Director of PRDP, remarked that "PRDP remains committed to fully supporting SEARCA in delivering a thorough and insightful evaluation.
"This study will provide invaluable guidance for future project implementation and scaling," she said.
SEARCA chief rallies new agriculturists ahead of new PH Agri Act
MANILA—Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the 2024 Outstanding Professional of the Year in Agriculture, delivered an impassioned message to over 3,000 newly licensed agriculturists at their Oath-taking Ceremony held on 20 January 2025, at the Philippine International Convention Center. The event was hosted by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
Dr. Gregorio's inspiring remarks were timely as the agriculture sector celebrated a landmark achievement just days later with the Senate's passage of Senate Bill No. 2906, or the Philippine Agriculturists Act, on 27 January 2025. The legislation aims to elevate the standards of the agriculture profession and provide long-overdue professional recognition and support to agriculturists nationwide.
In his speech, Dr. Gregorio congratulated the newly licensed agriculturists and acknowledged their hard work and the unwavering support of their families throughout their academic and professional journey.
Referring to them as the "beta generation of agriculturists," Dr. Gregorio emphasized their role as changemakers, innovators, and future leaders in Philippine agriculture.
"Today, you are not just licensed professionals; you are trailblazers who hold the potential to transform Philippine agriculture and address pressing challenges like climate change and food insecurity," Dr. Gregorio remarked.
He introduced SEARCA's forward-thinking strategy embodied in its 12th Five-Year Development Plan (2025-2030) and outlined three critical actions for transforming agriculture. First is attracting youth into agriculture by promoting agriculture as a modern, dynamic, and rewarding career. Second is revolutionizing the value chain by leveraging digitalization and technology to modernize agricultural processes. And third is ensuring Inclusivity by involving marginalized groups, including women, youth, and elderly populations, in creating a sustainable and equitable agricultural system.
Dr. Gregorio challenged the new agriculturists to rise to the occasion.
"The world needs passionate, innovative, and committed agriculturists. I challenge you to lead boldly, embrace change, and drive innovation fearlessly," he declared.
This inspiring ceremony coincides with a significant milestone for the agriculture sector. On January 27, 2025, the Senate passed the Philippine Agriculturists Act on its third and final reading with unanimous support from 23 senators. The Act establishes a regulatory framework to uphold professional standards and improve recognition and remuneration for agriculturists.
"As the agriculture profession in our country celebrates this pivotal moment, SEARCA reaffirms its commitment to support the next generation of agriculturists to help drive sustainable and inclusive agricultural development," Dr. Gregorio said.