SEARCA News

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

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—School feeding programs in Southeast Asia could do more than improve children's nutrition. With procurement systems designed to include local producers, these major public investments could also create more reliable markets for smallholder farmers and strengthen rural economies, according to a new policy brief published by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). The SEARCA policy brief, titled "Integrating Smallholder Agriculture into School Feeding Programs: Addressing the Agri-Health Disconnect," examines how school feeding programs can better connect public nutrition spending with local agricultural development. The brief grew out of cross-border research undertaken… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) featured Dr. Robert Meeder, Strategic Director and Co-Founder of The Institute for Future Creations, at its Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) on 17 August 2026. Speaking on "From Compliance to Competitive Advantage: Transparency, Digital Product Passports, and the Future of Responsible Trade," Meeder outlined how digital product passports and blockchain technology can empower producers in the Global South. Meeder provided an overview of the European Union's Digital Product Passport (DPP) requirements, following the launch of the DPP Registry in July 2026. By 2030, all… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has opened applications for the SEARCA Youth Ambassadors Program (SAYAP) for Sustainable Agrifood Systems. This new initiative seeks to develop a generation of innovative and systems-oriented young leaders equipped to advance the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems in Southeast Asia. SAYAP is aligned with SEARCA’s Education, Capacity Building, and Youth Engagement priority area under its 12th Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP), themed Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia). As a regional catalyst for agricultural and rural transformation, SEARCA recognizes… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Research supported by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is showing why farmers need a stronger voice in deciding which crop varieties move from experimental fields into their farms and markets. Findings from a study led by Mr. Mark Anthony Parducho, a recipient of the SEARCA Seed Fund for Research and Training (SFRT), form the basis of a new SEARCA policy brief calling for agricultural agencies to look beyond yield when selecting and promoting maize varieties. Titled "Moving Beyond Yield: Institutionalizing Participatory Varietal Selection for Farmer-Preferred Maize in Laguna, Philippines," publication… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) featured two distinguished experts at its Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) on 28 July 2026, themed "Resilient and Profitable Crops under Climate Change: What Works for Smallholder Farmers?" The speakers were Mr. Joseph Manicad, Director of the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) of the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) and Dr. Antonio Lalusin, Professor at the Institute of Crop Science, College of Agriculture and Food Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). In his presentation, Manicad highlighted the importance of high-value crops… Read more