SEARCA News

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—As part of its efforts to develop future leaders in agriculture, rural development, and allied fields, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study andb Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) will hold a week-long, in-person Training on Writing for Science and Policy for SEARCA Scholars on 21-25 July 2025. The training is organized by SEARCA's Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD) and is designed to strengthen skills in scholarly communication. The training aims to deepen participants' understanding of scientific writing conventions and equip them to produce clear, well-organized journal articles, craft effective research presentations, and use appropriate visuals and… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) will pay tribute to its graduating scholars in a hybrid ceremonial gathering to be held on 17 July 2025 at its headquarters and online. The 2025 Testimonial Ceremony for Graduating SEARCA Scholars will celebrate the academic milestones and contributions of SEARCA scholars who completed their graduate studies during Fiscal Year 2024-2025. The ceremony will spotlight their achievements through a series of highlights, including the Presentation of Graduates, Awarding of Certificates, and the conferment of the Academic Achievement Awards to outstanding scholars who demonstrated exceptional academic… Read more

BANGKOK, Thailand—The third ASEAN Climate Leadership Programme (ACLP) concluded on 15 June 2025 with a final module session and graduation ceremony. The event brought together participants and distinguished guests to celebrate the culmination of a six-month journey in climate leadership. The final module synthesized the program's models and featured the presentations of the participants' final Personal Change Projects (PCPs). This was followed by the closing and graduation ceremony, which honored the dedication of the participants along with the coaches, mentors, and the Secretariat team who conducted the ACLP III from January to June this year. Twenty-four professionals in government institutions… Read more

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM—Mr. Jaymark Warren T. Dia, Unit Head for Management Information Systems at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), was one of the recipients of the prestigious Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Service Award 2024/2025. In the awarding ceremony held on 1 July 2025 during the 53rd SEAMEO Council Conference at the Empire Hotel, Brunei Darussalam, Dia was recognized for his outstanding service, innovation, and unwavering commitment to SEARCA. With over 20 years of dedicated service to the Center, Dia, known to colleagues simply as "Jay," has been at the forefront… Read more

LAGUNA, Philippines—Over 40 rice farmers and representatives from irrigators' associations and the local government of Santa Maria, Laguna gathered on 18 June 2025 for a workshop and consultation session that aimed to promote climate-resilient and sustainable practices in rice production. The event marked the third cycle of SEARCA's "Transforming Rice Farming through Low Carbon Solutions" initiative. Led by SEARCA's Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD), in partnership with Leads Agricultural Products Corporation (LEADS Agri) and Innovate UK through the Rice Straw Biogas Hub (RSBH) project, the initiative continues to strengthen the engagement of diverse actors across the rice value chain… Read more