SEARCA News
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) hosted the second installment of its Meet the Diplomat Series (MDS) on 19 March 2026, featuring Economic and Commercial Counselor Silvia Torices de la Varga and Education Advisor Beatriz Jimeno Ortas of the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines. The session gathered officials and representatives from the Los Baños Science Community, academe, and partner institutions to deepen diplomatic and development cooperation between Spain and the Philippines, specifically in agriculture, education, and innovation. In her welcome remarks, SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla underscored Spain's development… Read more
QUEZON CITY, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with EcoSecurities and the University of the Philippines Los Baños Foundation Inc. (UPLBFI), conducted a two-day capacity-building workshop to advance climate-resilient agricultural finance. Titled "Data-Driven Parametric Crop Insurance for Corn: Loss Modeling, Climate Risk, and GIS-Based Payout Systems for PCIC," the workshop was held on 5–6 March 2026 at Microtel by Wyndham UP Technohub in Quezon City. The event brought together technical staff from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) and partner institutions to enhance their technical capabilities in developing innovative parametric crop… Read more
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is set to host the second Meet the Diplomat Series (MDS) on 19 March 2026, in partnership with the Embassy of Spain in Manila. The event aims to highlight the deepening bilateral cooperation between the Philippines and Spain, particularly in the areas of economics and education. It will be held at the SEARCA Umali Auditorium at 10:00 a.m. (GMT +8:00). Launched on 23 February 2026 as SEARCA's newest knowledge-sharing platform, the MDS opened with its inaugural session featuring Her Excellency Makawadee Sumitmor, Ambassador of the… Read more
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Ten Development Communication and Communication students from Ateneo de Naga University, accompanied by their professor, Mr. Jan Victor Agna, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 6 March 2026 to learn about the Center's communication initiatives and the critical role of communication in advancing agriculture. During the learning visit, Ms. Zara Mae Estareja, SEARCA Senior Associate for Public Relations, provided an overview of SEARCA's 12th Five-Year Development Plan: Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia). She highlighted the Center's work under its 4Ps framework… Read more
CAMARINES SUR, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA), in partnership with Kansas State University (KSU), will host the CBSUA-SEARCA Joint International Conference 2026 on 18–21 March 2026 in Camarines Sur, Philippines. The conference will bring together global and regional experts through the 7th International Conference on Education, Environment, and Agriculture (ICEEA7) and the 4th International Conference on School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement and Enterprise (SHGBEE4) to advance sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient agri-food systems across Southeast Asia. Anchored on the theme "Policy Pathways to a… Read more
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Six students from Nagasaki University visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 26 February 2026 as part of the Global Social Responsibility (GSR) Short-Term Study Program. The visit aimed to provide a deeper their understanding of Philippine business, culture, economy, and entrepreneurship. The students were accompanied by Asst. Prof. Bebio Vieira Amaro of Nagasaki University and Asst. Prof. Rei Chino Pua of the University of the Philippines Los Baños - Department of Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship (UPLB-DAME). Nagasaki University, a national institution in Japan, is committed to becoming a world-leading… Read more
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Speaking at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) on 12 February 2026, Mr. Muhamed Salim bin Mohd Ali, Chief Executive Officer of the International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet), emphasized that free trade agreements (FTAs) are powerful tools for agricultural transformation. However, he stressed that these agreements must be complemented by strong domestic support and strategic policies to ensure that small farmers and sensitive sectors benefit equitably. In his presentation titled "Free Trade Agreements (FTAs): Importance and Impacts on the Agriculture Sector," Salim defined FTAs as… Read more
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Twelve University of Tsukuba undergraduate students visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 24 February 2025 as part of their Social Impact Project aimed at understanding agriculture's role in sustainable development. They were accompanied by Dr. Nomura Nakao, Regional Director for Southeast Asia and Taiwan at the Bureau of Global Initiatives; the Manager of International Admissions; the Associate Director of the Division of International Exchange Support under the Student Support Center; and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Tsukuba. The delegation… Read more
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The uptake of any rice variety, from farm to table, is a complex process shaped by the divergent priorities of multiple stakeholders. Presenting his team's study "Understanding the Uptake of NSIC Rc 160 Rice Variety in the Philippines" at the SEARCA Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) held on 25 February 2026 at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and livestreamed via Facebook, Dr. Jaime Manalo IV of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) underscored how divided priorities along the rice chain have slowed the progress of Rc 160. The variety… Read more
PENANG, Malaysia—To inspire the next generation of Southeast Asian scientists to envision a future in agriculture, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) led an interactive session on 10 February 2026 at the 14th Regional Congress Search for SEAMEO Young Scientists (SSYS). The event was organized by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics (RECSAM). Designed to broaden youth perspectives on modern agriculture, the session showcased diverse career paths spanning agribusiness, agri-innovation, and technology-driven solutions critical to global food security. SEARCA spotlighted its programs and… Read more
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