SEARCA News

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) convened agricultural biotechnology experts, its project management team, and a technical reviewer for a writeshop on 24–25 September 2026 at the SEARCA Residence Hall, Los Baños, Laguna to review and enhance a training module on agricultural biotechnology for public servants. The activity was conducted under the Strengthening the Enabling Environment for the Development and Uptake of Modern Agricultural Biotechnology (SEED) Project, implemented by SEARCA and funded by the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) through the Biotechnology Program Office. The writeshop focused on making… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—A new policy brief from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) calls for a shift from largely low-value copra production toward higher-value processing, stronger farmer enterprises, and coordinated long-term investment to revitalize the coconut industry of Quezon Province, Philippines, which accounted for about 10 percent of national coconut production in 2023 and had the country's largest coconut production area that year. Titled Revitalizing the Coconut Industry in Quezon Province, Philippines through Inclusive Enterprise Development and Strategic Roadmapping, the brief draws on field scoping missions, baseline assessments, and rapid value chain analyses… Read more

MAKATI, Philippines—Regional climate experts, policymakers, and forestry specialists gathered for a four-day regional validation workshop to validate geospatial land use data, examine national policy alignment, and strengthen climate mitigation across the Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF) sector in Southeast Asia. The workshop brought together 34 key stakeholders to review findings from a regional LULUCF study led by the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) under its ASEAN Chairmanship. The study is supported by the ASEAN-EU-German Climate Action Programme (CAP), funded by the European Union and Germany and implemented by GIZ, with technical implementation by the… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the Department of Agriculture–Biotechnology Program Office (DA-BPO) and Science Communicators Philippines (SciCommPH), will hold a roundtable discussion on 23 September 2026, at SEARCA in Los Baños, Laguna. The roundtable, titled "From Energy Shocks to Agricultural Resilience: Roundtable Discussion on Harnessing Agricultural Biotechnology for Fertilizer Efficiency and Climate-Resilient Agriculture," will be held as part of the Philippine National Biotechnology Week 2026, themed "Biotek Para sa Kinabukasan: Kalikasan, Kalusugan, Kagandahan, Kabuhayan, at Kaunlaran." The discussion comes amid continuing pressures on Philippine agriculture from climate… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Forty-two students preparing for the Licensure Examination for Agriculturists visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 11 September 2026. The examinees, who are enrolled at Upstep Review Center (URC), were accompanied by staff, Ms. Joy Aira Bunan, Ms. Christine Joy Quinto, and Mr. Kyle Adaraya. Established in 2019, the Los Baños, Laguna-based review center aims to help improve national board examination passing rates and prepare future frontline agricultural professionals for careers across Philippine industries. The delegation was the second URC cohort hosted by SEARCA and comprised graduates from state and… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAO-RAP) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Human Ecology (UPLB-CHE), convened the Regional Workshop on Policy Coherence and the Financing Landscapes for Agrifood Systems Transformation in ASEAN Countries on 24-26 August 2026. The workshop aimed to promote more coherent policies and stable, strategic investments to address food insecurity and malnutrition while strengthening long-term economic resilience. Participants from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) celebrated the achievements of 31 SEARCA graduating scholars on 25 August 2026 during its virtual Testimonial Ceremony for Academic Year (AY) 2025-2026, recognizing their academic accomplishments and potential contributions to advancing agriculture and rural development across Southeast Asia. SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to take their research beyond the academe by translating it into practical solutions that benefit farmers, fishers, policymakers, and communities across Southeast Asia. Dr. Sombilla emphasized that their achievements represent not only academic success but… Read more

SELANGOR, Malaysia—The 11th University Consortium Graduate Forum brought together more than 50 officials and graduate students of the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) and guests at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) on 18-19 August 2026. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) serves as the Secretariat of the UC, which provides a regional platform for collaboration among leading universities in agriculture and related fields. Themed "Building Research Capacity for Food Security: Innovating Solutions for Sustainable Systems," the two-day forum focused on strengthening research capacity and fostering collaboration… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—A delegation of 21 Dual Agritech™ scholars and faculty facilitators from the Dagatan Family Farm School, Inc. (DFFS) visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 27 August 2026 to explore regional initiatives in smart farming, agricultural modernization, and digital technologies for agriculture. The delegation was welcomed by Dr. Rico Ancog, SEARCA Deputy Director for Administration, who encouraged the young scholars to help redefine perceptions of agriculture. Ancog emphasized that farming must evolve from being associated with traditional, grueling labor to becoming a smart, interconnected, and profitable enterprise driven by holistic… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Twenty-six scholars of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam completed the five-day customized training on "Beyond the Journal Article: Scientific Writing for Policy and Wider Scholarly Engagement," held on 27-31 July 2026 at SEARCA. The training equipped master's and PhD scholars with practical skills for transforming their thesis or dissertation research into publication plans, policy briefs, and book chapter proposals, thereby broadening the reach and impact of their research. Held under the Center's Graduate-on-Time (GOT) Program, the training was organized in partnership… Read more