SEARCA in the News

A new study from the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has shown post-harvest loss experienced by the mango, tomato and onion industries in the Philippines. The Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded project focused on the three crops given their position as staples of the Filipino diet. The study analysed the value chain of each commodity and quantified the value and volume of post-harvest loss across different domestic supply routes. For mangoes the study revealed fruit produced in the province of Iloilo and traded in Manila showed the highest post-harvest loss at 33.89 per cent, the Pangasinan-Manila… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), together with SyCip Gorres Velayo & Company (SGV & Co.), presented an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded project titled “Analysis of Fruit and Vegetable Value Chains in the Philippines.” Usec. Evelyn Laviña, Undersecretary for High Value Crops and Rural Credit of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippines, emphasized that the three crops – onion, tomato, and mango are part of Filipino’s staple food like rice and that it should be given significant focus and funding to be utilized efficiently and contribute to the growing economy of the country… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna: The study "Analysis of Fruit and Vegetable Value Chains in the Philippines" funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revealed billions of pesos in post-harvest losses along the value chains of onions, tomatoes and mangoes. The study was conducted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (), which is headquartered at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and whose results focused on the three crops. According to the study, the total post-harvest loss of freshly harvested onions from farms in Bongabon town in Nueva Ecija province in Region 3… Read more

The following link will take you to INQUIRER.net: Ex-UPLB vice chancellor Gomez passes away https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1571025… Read more

According to a study released by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, producers of red onions are incurring up to P6 billion (€102 mln) in post-harvest losses due to the lack of cold storage facilities and reliable logistics. The estimated volume of post-harvest losses for red onions reached 48,891 tons, or nearly P1.96 billion, while post-harvest losses for the cold-stored onion chain was at 63.9 percent, with estimated volume and value lost at 69,333 MT and nearly P4.01 billion, respectively. Funded by the Asian Development Bank, the study also revealed that postharvest loss of… Read more

NATIONAL Security students with faculty and academic support staff from the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) recently visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and were briefed on food security. Led by Prof. Dr. Alan Lachica, the 17 NDCP students taking up Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) are composed of 11 military officers from the Philippine Army, Navy and Air Force; two military officers from Indonesia and Pakistan; and four civilians from the Philippine government and the private sector. The delegation is part of the 65 MNSA Regular Course No… Read more

The project titled "Leveling Up Philippine Higher Education Institutions in Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Resources (LevelUPHEI AFAR)," which was funded by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), was concluded last March 11. The project was spearheaded by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca). It was a 10-week Online Training Course on Research Designs and Methods for Higher Education Institutions (Research4HEIs) via the Searca Online Learning and Virtual Engagements or Solve platform. There were 18 mid to junior faculty members, researchers and education leaders from 16 State Universities and Colleges-Association of Colleges of Agriculture… Read more

Red onions producers are incurring up to P6 billion in post-harvest losses because of the lack of cold storage facilities and reliable logistics, according to a study released by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture. The estimated volume of post-harvest losses for red onion reached 48,891 metric tons, or nearly P1.96 billion, while post-harvest losses for the cold-stored onion chain was at 63.9 percent, with estimated volume and value lost at 69,333 MT and nearly P4.01 billion, respectively. Based on the study “Analysis of Fruit and Vegetable Value Chains in the Philippines” postharvest losses… Read more

An “Analysis of Fruit and Vegetable Value Chains in the Philippines” funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and conducted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) revealed the postharvest losses along the value chains of onion, tomato, and mango. The results of the study focused on the three commodities were presented at a recent virtual national policy forum jointly organized by SEARCA and SyCip Gorres Velayo & Company (SGV & Co.). Speaking at the forum, Usec. Evelyn Laviña, Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for High Value Crops and Rural Credit, said onion, tomato, and… Read more

Some 50 multisector stakeholders from relevant government agencies, private sector, key livestock industry players and the academe participated in the recently conducted online inception workshop for the development of the Philippine Processed Pork Roadmap (PPPR) with a policy roundtable discussion. Spearheaded by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA), the workshop is part of the technical assistance to the Philippines of the Agricultural Transformation and Market Integration in the Asean Region: Responding to Food Security and Inclusiveness Concerns (ATMI-Asean) project. Asean stands for Association of Southeast… Read more