SEARCA News

“For the longest time, our food production systems have been the main drivers of biodiversity loss,” surmised Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), “once lost, biodiversity for food and agriculture – i.e., all the species that support our food systems and sustain the people who provide/grow our food – cannot be recovered.” Dr. Gregorio will thus speak on​ how crucial agricultural transformation through agricultural innovation ​is for food systems ​to achieve a balance between biodiversity conservation and socio-economic… Read more

True to its commitment of being a leading enabler and champion of excellence in agriculture and rural development (ARD), the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) will launch its new initiative called SEARCA Online Learning and Virtual Engagement (SOLVE), a webinar series highlighting concrete actions that realize the Center's vision of ARD in Southeast Asia. In the maiden release of SOLVE on 28 April 2020 at 10:00, SEARCA will be drumbeating the pressing food security concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hon. William T. Dar, Secretary, Department of Agriculture of the Philippines, will elaborate on… Read more

In response to the ongoing salinity and drought concerns in Vietnam's Mekong River Delta (MRD), the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has recently released a policy paper that analyzes the economic importance of the rice production sector, the extent of salinity and drought in MRD including how it can be exacerbated by climate change-related hazards, and specific policy interventions that must be in placed both at the national and farm levels. In the paper, SEARCA has noted the importance of rice production in the MRD as the sector has been, and will… Read more

Los Baños, LAGUNA – SEARCA scholars based at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) conducted fund raising activities and a donation drive facilitated by the SEARCA Scholars Association (SSA) to help those greatly affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). The ECQ which started on 17 March and will last until 30 April 2020 saw UPLB students stranded in their dormitories with dwindling resources. The scholars donated part of their monthly stipend to Task Force CURE, University Housing Office (UHO) and Oplan Kawingan of the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) in UPLB. These organizations have been providing food… Read more

The report of the Forum on Organic and Inorganic Farming, which contains the forum’s full proceedings, is now available for free download at the SEARCA website (https://www.searca.org/pubs/proceeding-workshop-reports?pid=460). The forum was organized by the Coalition for Agriculture Modernization in the Philippines, Inc. (CAMP), in partnership with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), and the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). The forum was held on 14 October 2019 at SEARCA. The report highlights the… Read more

The Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) member universities improved their ranking in the 2020 QS World University Rankings (WUR) by Subject on Agriculture and Forestry. University of British Columbia (UBC), University of Gottingen, Kasetsart University (KU), Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB), and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) all placed in the top 100 with UBC taking the 14th rank and University of Gottingen placing in 21st worldwide. National Taiwan University (NTU) ranked in the 101-150th place while Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and University of the Philippines (UP) placed in the 151-200th. Universitas Brawijaya (UB)… Read more

Los Banos, Laguna – National Taiwan University (NTU) and SEARCA collaborated for the offering of a joint scholarship for the Master Program in Global Agriculture Technology and Genomic Science (ATGS). The Global ATGS is offered by the International College of NTU for its students to gain deeper understanding on smart farming technology, genome science research, and breeding science and technology. The NTU-SEARCA Joint Scholarship Program for Global ATGS aims to cultivate agricultural professional talents, encourage academic excellence, and promote the research and development of agriculture within Southeast Asia. The program also provides an opportunity for internship and field visits in… Read more