We at SEARCA celebrate our 55th Anniversary with the theme Sowing Seeds of Innovation for Agricultural Transformation and have lined up a series of events leading up to our milestone on 27 November 2021.

Top 55 Words Describing SEARCA (Click to enlarge)Top 55 Words Describing SEARCA (Click to enlarge)As we commemorate 55 our years of serving Southeast Asia, we thank our current and former partners, alumni, scholars, grantees, officials, and staff for their invaluable contribution to the Center’s efforts to advance agricultural and rural development in the region.

Ever forward-looking, we take our emerald anniversary as the springboard for our 60th year and the next five years as our timeline for stepping out of the box and our comfort zone to embrace the new normal and stepping up to serve in better, bigger, and smarter ways.

Join us in our celebration of past successes and lessons, paying tribute to all the people on whose shoulders we now stand, and our excitement to take bold strides forward to sow seeds of innovation that will help transform agriculture in Southeast Asia.

Find out more on these channels:

Anniversary Events

Events Overview
22 October GSID Conversations with the theme Dish Dialogues:
Creating a Sustainable and Healthy Plate

10:30 a.m., Zoom and Facebook Live
23 October Pista ng Pagkain at Kabataang Pinoy (Pistang PagKaPinoy)
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Zoom and Facebook Live
29 October IFS-SEARCA Mentorship Program for Advanced Grants
Awarding Ceremony and Inception Meeting

2:00 p.m., Zoom and Facebook Live
SEARCA Community Pantry
3:00 p.m., SEARCA Quadrangle
5 November 3rd SEARCArunungan for Young Ones
3:00–5:00 p.m., MS Teams
10 November InnoTrek: Innovation Journey for SEARCA Staff
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., SEARCA Hub for Agriculture and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING)
12 November Book Launch:
"Championing Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development in Southeast Asia"
1:00–3:00 p.m., Zoom and Facebook Live
16 November Paying for Nature and Society: Dialogue on Innovative Financial Mechanisms to Promote Equity and Sustainability in Agriculture - Asia
3:00 p.m., Zoom and Facebook Live
17 November ASEAN Conference on Policy and Governance for Climate-Smart Land Use
Parallel Session Topic: Engaging Women in Policy Making for Climate-Smart Land Use
Session Title: Models of Climate Resilient Strategies for Enhancing Women's Participation in Agricultural Entrepreneurship
4:00–5:00 p.m., MS Teams
22 November Distribution of Nutritious Food Packs to Los Baños Senior Citizens and Frontliners
1:30 p.m., SEARCA
4th SEARCArunungan for Young Ones
3:00–5:00 p.m., MS Teams
23 November Nature-based Solutions: Working with nature to help address some of society’s most pressing challenges
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Zoom and Facebook Live
24 November 37th SOLVE Webinar: SOLVE Leadership Challenges: Redefining Effective Leaders for Tomorrow
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Zoom and Facebook Live
Pook Luntian sa Tahanan Ko Hydroponics Kits Distribution to Laguna Youth with Gawad Laguna, Inc.
1:00–5:00 p.m., On-site across Laguna
25 November Alumni Forum on Transformational Leadership
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Facebook Live
26 November Virtual Anniversary Celebration
9:00–10:30 a.m., Zoom and Facebook Live
Staff Engagement
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., MS Teams
Vegetable Planting
2:00–3:00 p.m., SEARCA Backyard
Community Pantry
3:00–4:00 p.m., SEARCA Quadrangle
27 November Pook Luntian sa Tahanan Ko Webinar on Hydroponics Farming with Gawad Laguna, Inc.
9:00–11:30 a.m., Zoom
Friday 22 October

GSID Conversations with the theme Dish Dialogues: Creating a Sustainable and Healthy Plate

  • 10:30 a.m.
  • Zoom and Facebook Live

SEARCA kicked off its 55th-anniversary celebration on 22 October 2021 through Dish Dialogues: Creating a Sustainable and Healthy Plate via its SOLVE platform.

🍂 SEARCA Then: In November 2015, #SEARCA hosted the Southeast Asian Conference on Econutrition (SEAConE): From Concepts...

Posted by SEARCA on Thursday, 21 October 2021
SEARCA Then: In November 2015, #SEARCA hosted the Southeast Asian Conference on Econutrition (SEAConE): From Concepts...See more
Saturday 23 October

Pista ng Pagkain at Kabataang Pinoy (Pistang PagKaPinoy)

  • 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  • Zoom and Facebook Live

Pistang PagKaPinoy is a virtual festival by youth, for YOUth, and with the once youth to bring the spirit of fiesta and serve platters of knowledge to Filipino homes even in the middle of a pandemic when people's mobility is restricted.

🍂 SEARCA Then: A food festival called “Flavors of Southeast Asia” was organized by #SEARCA scholars as part of the 45th...

Posted by SEARCA on Friday, 22 October 2021
SEARCA Then: A food festival called “Flavors of Southeast Asia” was organized by #SEARCA scholars as part of the 45th...See more
Friday 29 October

IFS-SEARCA Mentorship Program for Advanced Grants: Awarding Ceremony and Inception Meeting

  • 2:00 p.m.
  • Zoom and Facebook Live

The purpose of the IFS-SEARCA Mentorship Program is to nurture relationships between established scientists and early career researchers (IFS-SEARCA grantees) that are intended to help the latter to strengthen their research processes, ensure that their projects are of high quality, and produce useful results.

🍂SEARCA Then: In September 2017, #SEARCA began conducting an 11-month Information and Knowledge Management (IKM)...

Posted by SEARCA on Thursday, 28 October 2021
SEARCA Then: In September 2017, #SEARCA began conducting an 11-month Information and Knowledge Management (IKM)...See more
Friday 29 October

SEARCA Community Pantry

  • 3:00 p.m.
  • SEARCA Quadrangle

SEARCA set up a Community Pantry that benefited agency personnel servicing the Center and staff to offer reprieve during the persisting health crisis.

🍂SEARCA Then: In November 2011, #SEARCA marked its 45th anniversary with activities that included a community outreach...

Posted by SEARCA on Friday, 29 October 2021
SEARCA Then: In November 2011, #SEARCA marked its 45th anniversary with activities that included a community outreach...See more
Friday 5 November

3rd SEARCArunungan for Young Ones

  • 3:00–5:00 p.m.
  • MS Teams

#Y4AGRI presents the 3rd SEARCArunungan para sa SEARCAbataan – an internal dialogue by and for the SEARCA Young Ones with the SEARCA Young Once featuring Dr. Maria Cristeta N. Cuaresma, ECLD's Senior Program Head.

Wednesday 10 November

InnoTrek: Innovation Journey for SEARCA Staff

  • 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • SEARCA Hub for Agriculture and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING)

SEARCA held "INNOTREK: An Innovation Journey" for its staff to have a preview of its own interactive museum called SEARCA Hub for Agriculture and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING) and its iCREATE Innovation Café, which complements SHARING with makerspaces and training facility for robotics, prototyping, and design thinking to promote innovation.

🍂 SEARCA Then: Every year during the National Science and Technology Week in the Philippines, #SEARCA sets up an exhibit...

Posted by SEARCA on Wednesday, 10 November 2021
SEARCA Then: Every year during the National Science and Technology Week in the Philippines, #SEARCA sets up an exhibit...See more
Friday 12 November

Book Launch: "Championing Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development in Southeast Asia"

  • 1:00–3:00 p.m
  • Zoom and Facebook Live

SEARCA held a virtual launch of the "Championing Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development in Southeast Asia: SEARCA's 10th Five-Year Plan Plus One in Retrospect" monograph, which recounts the Center’s noteworthy gains and invaluable lessons during the implementation of its strategic plan from July 2014 to June 2020.

🍂SEARCA Then: In May 2009, #SEARCA launched its publications in a Makati City store of Powerbooks, a leading commercial...

Posted by SEARCA on Friday, 12 November 2021
SEARCA Then: In May 2009, #SEARCA launched its publications in a Makati City store of Powerbooks, a leading commercial...See more
Tuesday 16 November

Paying for Nature and Society: Dialogue on Innovative Financial Mechanisms to Promote Equity and Sustainability in Agriculture - Asia

  • 3:00 p.m.
  • Zoom and Facebook Live

SEARCA collaborated with the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture Intensification (CoSAI) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN Asia) for a regional discourse. The virtual dialogue is second in a series of regional discussions across the globe to understand how to incentivize farmers to protect and restore nature.

🍂SEARCA Then: In 2010, #SEARCA and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) co-published “Sustainability Science...

Posted by SEARCA on Tuesday, November 16, 2021
SEARCA Then: In 2010, #SEARCA and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) co-published “Sustainability Science...See more
Wednesday 17 November

ASEAN Conference on Policy and Governance for Climate-Smart Land Use

  • 4:00–5:00 p.m.
  • MS Teams

Parallel Session Topic: Engaging Women in Policy Making for Climate-Smart Land Use
Session Title: Models of Climate Resilient Strategies for Enhancing Women's Participation in Agricultural Entrepreneurship

🍂SEARCA Then: In 1976, 18 female rural development officers from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Sri...

Posted by SEARCA on Tuesday, November 16, 2021
SEARCA Then: In 1976, 18 female rural development officers from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Sri...See more
Monday 22 November

Distribution of Nutritious Food Packs to Los Baños Senior Citizens and Frontliners

  • 1:30 p.m.
  • SEARCA

In the lead-up to its 55th anniversary on 27 November, today SEARCA marked its 55th anniversary by paying it forward with nutritious food packs for senior citizens and frontliners in Los Baños. Mayor Antonio L. Kalaw received the care packages on behalf of his constituents from representatives of SEARCA and its partners, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. and Gardenia Bakeries Philippines, Inc.

🍂 SEARCA Then: In December 2018, #SEARCA donated food baskets to the Senior Citizens Association of Brgy. Batong Malake,...

Posted by SEARCA on Monday, November 22, 2021
SEARCA Then: In December 2018, #SEARCA donated food baskets to the Senior Citizens Association of Brgy. Batong Malake...See more
Monday 22 November

4th SEARCArunungan for Young Ones

  • 3:00–5:00 p.m
  • MS Teams

Two former SEARCA heads shared their inspiring stories and insights on financial management and knowledge management in an organization with SEARCA's young staff during yesterday's "SEARCArunungan para sa SEARCAbataan," an internal dialogue between the Center's young ones and young once.

🍂 SEARCA Then: In September 1997, #SEARCA staff participated in a three-day “In-House Gender and Development Enhancement...

Posted by SEARCA on Tuesday, November 23, 2021
SEARCA Then: In September 1997, #SEARCA staff participated in a three-day “In-House Gender and Development Enhancement...See more
Tuesday 23 November

Nature-based Solutions: Working with nature to help address some of society’s most pressing challenges

  • 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Zoom and Facebook Live

Experts shared the IUCN Nature-based Solutions™ Global Standard and case studies from all over Asia on how nature helped communities address development challenges.

Wednesday 24 November

37th SOLVE Webinar: SOLVE Leadership Challenges: Redefining Effective Leaders for Tomorrow

  • 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Zoom and Facebook Live

Speakers: Dr. Tin Htut; Dr. Emerlinda Roman; and Dr. Howarth Bouis

Wednesday 24 November

Pook Luntian sa Tahanan Ko Hydroponics Kits Distribution to Laguna Youth with Gawad Laguna, Inc.

  • 1:00–5:00 p.m.
  • On-site across Laguna
Thursday 25 November

Alumni Forum on Transformational Leadership

  • 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Facebook Live

Today, SEARCA alumni will once again gather in a forum on transformational leadership as part of SEARCA’s celebration of its 55th anniversary. Jointly organized by SEARCA and the Regional SEARCA Alumni Association, the forum will feature SEARCA alumni who have held leadership positions as speakers and moderator.

🍂 SEARCA Then: In May 2013, 34 #SEARCA alumni, including officers of the alumni associations in eight countries,...

Posted by SEARCA on Wednesday, November 24, 2021
SEARCA Then: In May 2013, 34 #SEARCA alumni, including officers of the alumni associations in eight countries...See more
Friday 26 November

Virtual Anniversary Celebration

  • 9:00–10:30 a.m.
  • Zoom and Facebook Live

Reliving the past, celebrating the present, and looking forward to the future of SEARCA, current and former partners, alumni, scholars, grantees, officials and staff gathered together in a virtual culminating program of the Center's 55th Anniversary.


Staff Engagement

  • 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • MS Teams

Vegetable Planting

  • 2:00–3:00 p.m.
  • SEARCA Backyard

Community Pantry

  • 3:00–4:00 p.m.
  • SEARCA Quadrangle
Saturday 27 November

Pook Luntian sa Tahanan Ko Webinar on Hydroponics Farming with Gawad Laguna, Inc.

  • 9:00–11:30 a.m
  • Zoom

Young educators, students, and out-of-school youth from different districts of Laguna province joined the SEARCA-hosted Information and Demonstration Session on Hydroponics.