Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU) for collaboration in education, research and training.
In a virtual signing ceremony between the two institutions, SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio emphasized the importance of partnership to realize its mission to elevate the quality of life of agricultural families through sustainable livelihoods and access to modern networks and innovative markets in this time of pandemic.
“SEARCA aims to collaborate with key players from the academe, which TAU is part of, as well as with industries and government,” Gregorio stressed.
"We do this to bridge the gaps which burden our agriculture producers such as our farmers and our farming families,” he added.
For his part, TAU President Max Guillermo shared how they remain proactive in their mandate as partnerships bring possible ripple effects to their immediate communities despite the changes in education.
"It has always been our advocacy to forge meaningful partnerships with institutions that could help us realize our vision, mission and goals,” Guillermo said.
Meanwhile, External Linkages and International Affairs Director Christina Ferrer presented TAU's very own Sustainable Mechanized Agriculture for Research and Technology (TAU SMART) Agriculture Center which takes pride in the implementation of climate-resilient crops production.
“The center aims to carry out its mission of fostering the implementation of smart agriculture in many ways,” Ferrer said.
Also, it will be a platform for research collaborations both within and outside TAU and will host a seminar series with the goal of sharing research being carried out in the center that may help stimulate new ideas.
Ferrer expressed her appreciation to SEARCA for providing scholarships and grants to their faculty, staff, and students, and for future partnerships in terms of research and training.
Other innovative endeavors of TAU include bamboo research and development, goat and sheep breeding and the free-range chicken.