Led by Director Dr. Arsenio M. Balisacan, SEARCA celebrated its 42nd anniversary last November 27. With its flagship message “achieving and sustaining food security and poverty reduction through natural resources management,” SEARCA has continued to become a catalyzing agent in the field of agricultural and rural development (ARD) over the past years.

Dr. Vo-tong Xuan, first recipient of Umali Award

“In the history of our civilization, a multitude of actions contribute to changes and development. Yet, when we focus our lenses, we would see stand out persons who catalyze such change. The Umali Award seeks to recognize such persons…,” said Dr. Balisacan during the opening program.

Vietnamese agronomist, Dr. Vo-tong Xuan is the first recipient of the Umali Award. Aptly called “Dr. Rice” in his home country, Dr. Xuan was once a student of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (then called UP College of Agriculture and coincidentally under Dean Umali’s administration). He further honed his skills in agriculture through training and fellowship at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Early on, he initiated radio and TV programs to introduce agricultural innovations to farmers. He has authored 9 books and 116 scientific reports on a wide array of topics in agriculture. Furthermore, he educated Mekong Delta farmers about cultivation techniques of high-yielding rice varieties. He spearheaded efforts to contain the brown planthopper infestation, which caused widespread food shortage in Vietnam.

At the policy level, Dr. Xuan was instrumental in convincing the Vietnamese government to adopt the Doi moi (renovation) policy. This policy promoted free market economy and was important in Vietnam’s transformation from a net rice importer to the world’s second largest rice exporter.

His passion for agricultural development goes beyond Vietnam’s boundaries. He has served as agricultural advisers of Lao PDR, Myanmar, and the Philippines. Currently, he is involved in a project for farmers in Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

“ARD is truly a multi-disciplinary profession that requires a set of skills in research to diagnose rural problems and to identify rural assets… ARD practitioners should have essential skills and knowledge of appropriate agriculture, as well as a good heart and sympathy towards farmers and the farming countryside,” Dr. Vo-tong Xuan concluded during his speech.

The Umali Award is expected to be given annually and is a collaborative effort of SEARCA, the National Academy of Science and Technology, and the Dioscoro L. Umali Foundation, Inc. Alongside the award’s conferment, the Center also hosted a two-day international conference designed for SEARCA alumni titled “Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders in Agriculture and Rural Development: Responding to the Challenges of Globalization” as part of its 42nd anniversary.