SEARCA News
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is set to launch its newest knowledge-sharing platform, the Meet the Diplomat Series (MDS), with an inaugural session on 23 February 2026. Anchored on SEARCA's 12th Five-Year Development Plan: Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia), the MDS provides a vital space for aligning foreign policy priorities with regional agricultural and rural development goals. Building on its long-standing engagement with the diplomatic community, SEARCA is deepening partnerships with embassies and international missions to align agricultural and rural development with… Read more
Third batch of Reedley students explores agri-robotics at SEARCA
19 February 2026 LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Eighteen Grade 12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students of Reedley International School, accompanied by their teachers, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 28 January 2026. The field trip aimed to explore the role of robotics in agriculture. Reedley International School is a private, nonsectarian, nontraditional, and co-educational school in Pasig City, Philippines, that combines progressive and traditional learning approaches. SEARCA has hosted Reedley International students since 2023. During the visit, the students were given a tour of the SEARCA Hub for Agricultural and Rural Innovation for the… Read more
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) formalized a strategic partnership through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on 12 February 2026. The agreement outlines joint initiatives in agricultural education, research, innovation, and capacity building across Southeast Asia and other tropical fruit-producing regions. TFNet, established in 2000 under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is an intergovernmental and inter-institutional organization dedicated to promoting sustainable global development in tropical fruit production, consumption, and trade. Under the five-year agreement, SEARCA… Read more
PASIG CITY, Philippines—Consolidation is emerging as a key strategy to strengthen Philippine agriculture and empower smallholders. This was the central message of the Food and Agribusiness Forum: Harnessing Economies of Scale: Consolidation Pathways for Philippine Food and Agribusiness, 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 30 January 2026 at UA&P. The forum brought together 82 stakeholders from government, academe, agribusiness, cooperatives, farmers' groups, and development organizations to explore strategies for integrating value chains, reducing farm fragmentation, and fostering sustainable and inclusive business… Read more
The Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has approved the Five-Year Roadmap for Agriculture Higher Education in the Philippines, a strategic framework developed by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in partnership with the Visayas State University (VSU). The roadmap seeks to modernize curricula, strengthen institutional governance, and align academic programs with national and global development priorities. As the culmination of a multi-year project commissioned by CHED, its approval during the CHED Committee En Banc (CEB) meeting on 2 February 2026 marks the delivery of a significant milestone for the future of the… Read more
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF-RESP) under the Philippine Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) has produced measurable improvements in rice farm productivity and profitability, according to the results of a nationwide endline evaluation. During the "Keeping on Track: ATI's FY 2025 Annual Performance Review and FY 2026 Commitment Signing" on 27 January 2026 at The Hive Hotel and Convention Place, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) presented the findings of the project "Reaping the Benefits: Evaluation of RCEF-RESP 2019-2024." Led by Project Team Leader Dr… Read more
BANGKOK, Thailand—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), organized the Inception Workshop of the Southeast Asia Agricultural Outlook Series (SEA Agri Outlook) on 26-27 January 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand. Led by SEARCA's Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD), the workshop generally aimed to provide a venue for SEARCA and country experts from the 11 Southeast Asian countries to discuss and agree on the country studies' overall focus, methods of analysis, data sources, and report contents. Dr. Mercedita A. Sombilla, SEARCA Center Director, welcomed the participants and presented an overview of the SEA Agri Outlook… Read more
BANGKOK, Thailand—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) will convene country experts from the 11 Southeast Asian countries on 26-27 January 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand for a workshop to kick off the Center's new flagship publication titled "Southeast Asia Agricultural Outlook Series (SEA Agri Outlook)" with the theme "The Role of Agricultural Transformation in Promoting Broad-based and More Inclusive Structural Transformation." The SEA Agri Outlook Series will cover country- and regional-level agricultural situation analyses and outlooks. It adopts a comprehensive mixed-methods approach to generate evidence-based insights and forward-looking policy recommendations. The workshop will provide… Read more
PASIG CITY, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the University of Asia and the Pacific's Center for Food and Agri Business (UA&P-CFA), will hold the Food and Agribusiness Forum on 30 January 2026 at PLDT Hall, UA&P, Pasig City. The forum, titled "Harnessing Economies of Scale: Consolidation Pathways for Philippine Food and Agribusiness," will gather agribusiness leaders, policymakers, farmers' groups, researchers, and development organizations to discuss how consolidation strategies can integrate value chains, reduce fragmentation, and foster sustainable agribusiness models that empower both enterprises and smallholders in the country. The… Read more
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—A newly released issue of the Agriculture and Development Notes (ADN) series by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) reveals that while the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) has significantly boosted overall regional commerce, its benefits for the agricultural sector remain unevenly distributed across Southeast Asian nations. Titled "Trade Creation or Diversion? Assessing the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement's Uneven Impact on ASEAN Agricultural Trade," the ADN is co-authored by Mr. Paul Neilmer Feliciano, a program manager and economist at the Ateneo Policy Center, and Mr. Manuel Leonard Albis, an assistant professor… Read more
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