SEARCA in the News

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) conducted a three-day onsite training-workshop on bridging research into policy on Jan. 21 to 23, 2025. According to SEARCA director Glenn Gregorio, this was part of SEARCA's commitment to nurturing leaders and innovators in agriculture, rural developmen, and related fields. Organized by SEARCA's Education and Collective Learning Department, the course was designed exclusively for the center's scholars. Gregorio said the course aimed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge to effectively translate research findings into actionable policies, promoting evidence-informed policymaking and practice. Sixteen SEARCA scholars across… Read more

THE latest issue of the Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD), an international journal published by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), has seven new studies and a book review on global food prices, sustainable food system, food security, value chain, income diversification, and hunger and poverty. One of paper is titled "Unveiling Socioeconomic Factors Shaping Global Food Prices and Security: A Machine Learning Approach" where Prof. Shan Shan of Zhejiang University in China said that harnessing machine learning techniques and understanding socioeconomic variables are necessary "to help policymakers make informed decisions… Read more

An international conference provided a platform for tapping into the shared potential of sustainable agricultural intensification practices and biodiversity for food and nutrition security and improving livelihoods of households and communities, and resilient ecosystems. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), through its Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD), teamed up with the Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN) for the "CE SAIN-SEARCA Joint International Conference 2024: The Fourth International Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (SAIN4) and the Third School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement Enterprise (SHGBEE3) Conference."… Read more

THE Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has picked four projects for the 2024–2025 Grants for Research toward Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS). SEARCA Center Director Glenn Gregorio said the grants, ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 each, will support projects to transform food production in the Philippines, Laos, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. Gregorio said the GRAINS project proponents plan to introduce new processes and technologies in farming communities. He added that in the Philippines, Emma Sabado, an entomologist and research consultant at Mindanao State University, will craft and market new protein-rich food products out… Read more

AROUND 800 students from various basic education schools participated in a session of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture's (SEARCA) "Sowing Seeds: Cultivating Youth's Future in Agriculture" at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) on Dec. 14, 2024. According to SEARCA director Glenn Gregorio, the event which was organized in partnership with UA&P aimed to "inspire young individuals to engage in agriculture and pursue higher education in agriculture and related fields." Gregorio explained that "Sowing Seeds" is a career orientation initiative organized by the SEARCA Partnerships Unit as part of the Center's… Read more

Seventy years ago, the Philippines became the second country in Asia and the fourth in the world to establish formal bilateral relations with Laos, and to recognise its role in the international community. As Asia's first republic, the Philippines committed to the self-determination of nations and promoted a "good neighbour" policy, participating in regional activities that fostered closer economic and cultural relations among Southeast Asian countries, on the basis of mutual respect for each other's views and interests. These principles still remain central to the warm friendship and steady partnership shared by Laos and the Philippines today, grounded in shared… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in collaboration with the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), conducted an introductory training on agri-robotics at Tarlac Agricultural University's Farmer's Training Center (TAU-FTC). To inspire students and faculty to leverage technology in advancing agriculture, the event brought together Information and Technology (IT), Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE) students, and TAU faculty members. TAU President Silverio Ramon Salunson emphasized the critical role of technology in modernizing agriculture and mentioned his vision for TAU to be known as a smart agriculture university. SEARCA was represented by Darlyn Angeles, SEARCA Emerging… Read more