The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) officially signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the CBSUA–SEARCA Joint International Conference 2026. Held on 12 February 2026 via Zoom, the signing formalizes the collaboration for 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), scheduled for 18–21 March 2026 at CBSUA, Pili, Camarines Sur, Philippines.
Anchored on the theme "Policy Pathways to a Sustainable Future: Mainstreaming Biodiversity, Agri/Ecotourism, and Disaster Resilience," the conference aims to translate research into policy directions and actionable programs.
The partnership integrates CBSUA's long-running ICEEA platform with SEARCA's innovative SHGBEE program, which promotes nutrition, education, biodiversity, and enterprise development. Dr. Gerlie Tatlonghari, SEARCA Program Head for Research and Thought Leadership, highlighted the journey of SHGBEE from the 2016 School-Plus-Home Garden Project (S+HGP) to a regional initiative that links schools and communities across Southeast Asia to address food and nutrition insecurity while strengthening climate-resilient, community-based agri-food systems.
In her opening message, SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla emphasized the strategic significance of the partnership: "This Agreement formalizes more than a conference collaboration—it affirms a strategic alliance at a time when food security, biodiversity loss, and climate-related disasters demand integrated and science-based solutions."
Sombilla underscored that collaboration with CBSUA—an institution recognized for its leadership in education, agriculture, and disaster resilience, and strategically located in the biodiversity-rich yet disaster-prone Bicol Region—strengthens the collective impact of the initiative. Together, both institutions aim to generate knowledge, influence policy, and build resilience communities.
CBSUA President Dr. Alberto N. Naperi delivered the response message, affirming the University's commitment to co-host the joint event. He then joined Sombilla in signing the MOA, witnessed by SEARCA Deputy Director for Administration Dr. Rico Ancog and CBSUA Vice President for Research and Innovation Dr. Dariel Palmiano.
The joint conference will feature mobile ecosystem workshops, keynote addresses by national leaders, plenary discussions, scientific sessions, and poster exhibits, all aimed at advancing biodiversity conservation, agri/ecotourism, disaster resilience, regenerative agriculture, education, and enterprise development.
The MOA marks an important milestone in SEARCA's commitment to strengthening institutional partnerships, enhancing research-policy linkages, and translating knowledge into sustainable development outcomes across Southeast Asia.