SEARCA News

The Midterm Review of the Postgraduate Micro-Credentials for Food Security and Climate Change (PMC FSCC) project was held on 23–24 April 2025 at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. The two-day event brought together partner institutions from Southeast Asia and Europe to assess the project's accomplishments and plan the next steps as it enters its final phase. Funded by the European Commission's ERASMUS+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) program, the PMC FSCC project (2023–2026) aims to develop modular, stackable, and flexible micro-credential programs that address critical challenges… Read more

PASIG CITY, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) met with representatives from the ASEAN Food Security Alliance (AFSA) and Go Negosyo on 11 April 2025 to discuss a potential collaboration to strengthen food security efforts in Southeast Asia through private-sector-led initiatives. Led by Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, Center Director, the SEARCA delegation included Dr. Rico Ancog, Special Assistant to the Director; Ms. Sharon Malaiba, Unit Head for Partnerships; and Ms. Loise Ann Carandang, Senior Associate for Communications. Dr. William Dar, AFSA Senior Adviser, and Mr. Julio Matti, Go Negosyo Programs Development Officer… Read more

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) strongly supported the Philippine Association of Research Managers (PHILARM) in successfully convening the 6th International Research, Development, and Extension Management Congress (IRDEMC) on 18-19 March 2025 in partnership with Saigon Business School (SBS), Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), Marinduque State University (MarSU), and Philippine School of Business Administration (PSBA). Held at the Canadian International School (CIS) and SBS, the event brought together researchers and educators from the Philippines… Read more

H.E. Sonexay Vannaxay, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Lao PDR to the Republic of the Philippines, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 15 April 2025. Accompanying him was Ms. Chansamone Paserdung, Administrative Staff. The delegation was received by Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, Center Director; Dr. Nur Azura Adam, Deputy Director for Programs; Dr. Rico Ancog, Special Assistant to the Director; and Ms. Sharon Malaiba, Unit Head for Partnerships. During the visit, Ambassador Vannaxay was briefed on SEARCA's core programs and its long-standing cooperation with Lao PDR. Among the highlights were graduate scholarships… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Studies and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), rolled out a series of introductory training sessions on agri-robotics for young learners. The activity is part of the project titled Agri-robotics Education for Young Learners jointly implemented by SEARCA through its Emerging for Growth Department (EIGD) and CLSU's Precision and Digital Agriculture Center (PreDiCt). The training engaged selected students from Grades 5 and 6, and junior and senior high school levels. Participants came from the School Division Offices (SDOs) of Muñoz (26-27 February) and San Jose (13-14… Read more

PASIG CITY, Philippines — Digitalization is no longer a distant aspiration for Philippine agriculture—it is now an urgent necessity. This was the resounding message from the Food and Agribusiness Forum: Digital Transformation in Philippine Food and Agribusiness—Innovations for the Future convened by the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 14 March 2025 at the UA&P Celestino Dizon Auditorium. The forum brought together agribusiness leaders, policymakers, researchers, and digital innovators to explore how digital technologies can reshape Philippine agriculture by improving productivity, streamlining supply… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines – Dr. Shenggen Fan, a renowned agricultural economist, has called for a stronger science-policy-society interface to transform food systems amid escalating global challenges. Speaking at the Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) hosted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 24 March 2025, Dr. Fan emphasized the urgency of holistic approaches to food systems transformation to address hunger, malnutrition, resource decline, climate change, and widening inequality. "There is an urgent need for novel and more effective forms of 'science-policy interfaces' that extend their influence by directly including 'society' to… Read more

As a SEARCA Regional Professorial Chair for Academic Year 2024–2025, Dr. Vachel Gay V. Paller, a parasitology professor at the University of the Philippines Los Baños – Institute of Biological Sciences, delivered a compelling lecture on 10 March 2025 at SEARCA. Her presentation, titled Agricultural Intensification and Zoonoses Emergence: Utilizing One Health Framework to Assess Management Practices in Agricultural Landscapes, explored the critical links between agricultural practices and the rise of zoonotic diseases. In her lecture, Prof. Paller outlined the pressing challenges confronting the Philippine agriculture sector, from adverse weather conditions and governance issues to persistent low productivity. She underscored… Read more

A Midterm Review of the Postgraduate Micro-Credentials for Food Security and Climate Change (PMC FSCC) project is set on 23–24 April 2025 at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Running from 2023 to 2026, the PMC FSCC project is funded by the European Commission's ERASMUS+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) program. It aims to develop modular, flexible, and stackable micro-credential programs that address pressing global challenges in food security and climate change. Now at its 18-month mark, the project has reached the pilot testing phase of the developed micro-credentials, with full implementation… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), through its Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD), and the Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) have partnered for the project titled Evaluation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF-RESP) 2019-2024. The initiative formally kicked off during an inception meeting held on 19 March 2024. The RCEF was established under the Rice Tariffication Law and the Philippines' liberalized rice trade policy to help Filipino rice farmers become more competitive and increase their income. As the lead implementing agency of the… Read more