SEARCA News
MANILA, Philippines—Key government officials and representatives of development institutions, civil society organizations, and grassroots movements will convene today, 11 August 2025, at the Joy-Nostalg Hotel & Suites for a high-level roundtable discussion (RTD) on land and resource governance in the Philippines themed "Towards Modernizing Agriculture and Attaining Peace and Security." Organized by the Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC) and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), with support from Fair Finance Philippines, the event brings together diverse sectors to examine critical challenges surrounding land tenure security, resource management, and…
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PATTAYA CITY, Thailand—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) actively participated in the 2025 Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Centre Directors Meeting (CDM) held at the Amari Pattaya Hotel on 23–24 July 2025. SEARCA was represented by Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, SEARCA Center Director; Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam, Deputy Director for Programs; and Ms. Julie Ann Barril, Executive Coordinator of the Office of the Director. During the two-day meeting, SEARCA presented three working papers highlighting its ongoing and future initiatives. The working papers on the SEARCA Consortium for Agricultural Policy Research Initiatives…
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LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has officially opened applications for its full master's and PhD scholarships for academic year 2026–2027. This scholarship is designed to cultivate the next generation of experts who will drive agricultural innovation and sustainable development across Southeast Asia. EARCA's scholarship program is available to nationals of all Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) member countries, namely, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. It supports professionals undertaking advanced studies in agriculture and other related fields. This comprehensive…
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JAKARTA, Indonesia—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) joined researchers and experts from countries across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in a high-level policy roundtable and inception workshop held on 4-5 August 2025 in Jakarta. Jointly organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), BIMSTEC, SEARCA, and the Network of Policy Advisors and Analysts (NePAA), the event brought together senior representatives from national governments, international organizations, and regional think tanks to…
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Eighteen SEARCA scholars attended the Training on Writing for Science and Policy as part of the Center's Graduate on Time (GOT) Program. LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Eighteen scholars of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) participated in the Training on Writing for Science and Policy held on 21–25 July 2025 as part of the Center's Graduate on Time (GOT) Program. The scholars hailed from various SEARCA scholarship study posts across Asia, namely, Kasetsart University (KU) in Thailand, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), IPB University in Indonesia, Tokyo University of…
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LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) celebrated the academic achievements of its graduating scholars in FY 2024-2025 in a solemn and inspiring testimonial ceremony held on 17 July 2025 at the SEARCA Umali Auditorium and livestreamed via Zoom. The event recognized 39 full-degree scholars and 13 PhD research scholars from various study posts across Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, France and the Netherlands. The ceremony highlighted the scholars' dedication, resilience, and excellence in their respective fields. Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam, SEARCA Deputy Director for Programs, warmly welcomed attendees and…
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LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has awarded its Regional Professorial Chair Grants for Academic Year 2025–2026 to five distinguished academicians in recognition of their outstanding contributions to agricultural and rural development. Each awardee will receive a grant of USD 5,000. The awardees are Prof. Yeng Ming Lam and Prof. Joachim Loo of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore; Prof. Ts. Dr. Zurina Binti Zainal Abidin and Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Noranizan Mohd Adzahan of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM); and Assoc. Prof. Kornsorn Srikulnath of Kasetsart University (KU), Thailand. Dr. Yeng Ming…
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The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), through its Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD), held a virtual information session to discuss its Full Master's and PhD Scholarships for Academic Year 2026–2027. The annual event aimed to guide aspiring graduate students amid growing interest in the Center's scholarship offerings and to introduce opportunities for advanced studies in Southeast Asia, particularly for nationals of SEAMEO member countries, namely, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. SEARCA presented its priority thrusts under its 12th Five-Year Development Plan and…
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SERDANG, Malaysia—How can science help ensure that meat production is both halal and humane? Can it measure the pain that animals experience during slaughter? That's exactly what a team of Malaysian researchers set out to explore in an initiative that brought brain-wave technology to the world of halal slaughter. Led by Prof. Dr. Awis Qurni Sazili, Director of the Halal Products Research Institute at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), the project assessed whether electroencephalography (EEG)—a medical tool used to read brain activity—can be used on livestock to monitor their stress and pain levels during slaughter. Undertaken from 2023 to 2025, the…
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LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in collaboration with Bayer CropScience, Inc. and the Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PPSA), will host a Seminar-Workshop on Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) Technology on 24 July 2025 at the SEARCA Umali Auditorium. With the theme "Strengthening Policy Support for Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Rice Production in the Philippines," the event will bring together policymakers, scientists, farmers, industry players, and civil society organizations to exchange insights and identify actionable pathways to promote DSR systems nationwide. The seminar-workshop also marks the second anniversary of the PPSA Learning Alliance…
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