SEARCA News

TOKYO, Japan—The Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) will convene its 38th Executive Board Meeting on 18–20 November 2025, hosted by Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI) in Japan. The annual meeting will bring together 30 UC executive board members and 11 other university officers and staff, representing 15 participating institutions. Attending the meeting are representatives from regular UC member universities, namely Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), IPB University (IPB), and Universitas Brawijaya (UB) all in Indonesia; Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Malaysia; Kasetsart University (KU) and Maejo University (MJU) in Thailand; and Central… Read more

MANILA, Philippines —The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) joined the celebration of the National Biotechnology Week (NBW) 2025 held on 28–30 October 2025 at the Century Park Hotel in Manila. With the theme "gAIn Biotech, growing Artificial Intelligence, nurturing Biotechnology," the event gathered government agencies, academic institutions, students, and private sector partners to promote the emerging intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology, as well as innovations that advance sustainable agriculture, food security, and human capital development. The Philippines' Department of Education (DepEd) hosted the celebration this year, with the Department of Environment… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has released a new issue of its Policy Brief Series 2025, highlighting the persistent food and nutrition insecurity in Vietnam's upland districts and calling for integrated, evidence-based responses to close the seasonal hunger gap. Titled "Closing the Seasonal Food Gap: Policy Options for Food and Nutrition Security in Vietnam's Upland Communities," the brief, authored by Dr. Lê Thị Thanh Loan of the Vietnam National University of Agriculture, focuses on Tuong Duong District in Nghe An Province—one of Vietnam's poorest areas where 16 of 18 communes… Read more

NAY PYI TAW and YANGON, Myanmar—The Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD) of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) conducted a mission to Myanmar to reinforce partnerships and advance the Center's capacity-building initiatives for the country's agricultural and academic sectors. While in Nay Pyi Taw, Dr. Maria Cristeta Cuaresma, Senior Program Head of ECLD, and Ms. Blessie Saez, Senior Program Associate of ECLD, paid courtesy visits separately to H.E. Dr. Tin Htut, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI) of Myanmar, and Dr. Ye Tint Tun, Director General of… Read more

SAVANNAKHET, Lao PDR—Hydroponic farming—the practice of growing plants without soil—has been gaining popularity among vegetable farmers in Savannakhet province, Lao PDR. Water efficiency, higher yields, faster growth, and reduced reliance on pesticides and soil are commonly known advantages of hydroponics in meeting consumer food demand and climate resilience. Yet, farmers must import pricey hydroponic nutrients from neighboring countries like Thailand and Vietnam. It turns out that an affordable innovation can come from farm waste and a liquid mixture of microbes called probiotics, which farmers can produce locally. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)… Read more

PASIG CITY, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) convened the Roundtable Discussion on Micro-Credentials in Southeast Asia: Lessons for the Philippines on 30 October 2025 at Joy~Nostalg Hotel & Suites, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, with hybrid participation from regional and national experts in education, government, and industry. Organized with the support of the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd), the event forms part of SEARCA's Regional Scoping Study on Micro-Credentials in Southeast Asia, a six-month research initiative examining national policies, institutional practices, and quality assurance mechanisms in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has released a new research note urging a systemic approach to embedding gender perspectives across the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) research landscape. The study is published in the issue of SEARCA's Agriculture and Development Notes series titled "Addressing Gender-Specific Challenges for Equitable Research in Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources in Luzon, Philippines." Authored by Glory Dee Romo, Francis Levi Durano, and Rodgessa Lopez of the School of Management at University of the Philippines Mindanao, the publication highlights persistent gender gaps in research practice… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—A paradigm shift toward regenerative agriculture is essential in achieving long-term food security and environmental restoration in Southeast Asia. This was emphasized by Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in her keynote address at the 5th International Conference on Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in the Tropics (IC-FSSAT). The conference was held in a hybrid format on 29 October 2025 at Hasanuddin University in Makassar, Indonesia and via Zoom. With the theme "Regenerative Agriculture for Sustainable Food Production and Environmental Restoration," the conference brought together… Read more

PASIG CITY, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) will convene a Roundtable Discussion (RTD) on Micro-Credentials in Southeast Asia: Lessons for the Philippines on 30 October 2025. The event will be held at Joy~Nostalg Hotel & Suites, Ortigas Center in Pasig City and online via Zoom. This hybrid event will gather regional and national experts from higher education and government to share insights on advancing micro-credentials as tools for lifelong learning, workforce readiness, and education transformation. SEARCA initiated the RTD as part of its Regional Scoping Study on Micro-Credentials in Southeast Asia with… Read more

HANOI, Vietnam—Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), delivered the keynote address at the 2025 Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF) International Climate Change Conference (ICCC) hosted by TUAF on 14 October 2025. Speaking under the theme "Sustainable Future: Smart Use of Waste and Energy," she called for Southeast Asia to transition from linear, extractive agricultural models to circular, regenerative systems. In her presentation, "Advancing Circularity in Agriculture for Sustainable Farming Systems in Southeast Asia," Sombilla positioned circular agriculture as a strategic response to climate change… Read more