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 the University of the Philippines Los Baños Institute of Plant Breeding (UPLB IPB), will conduct the Pilot Training and Validation of the Training Module on Biotechnology for Public Servants on 27–29 October 2026 at UPLB IPB in Los Baños, Laguna.
The three-day activity aims to test and refine an enhanced training module designed to strengthen the capacity of public servants, particularly those in provincial and local government units (LGUs), to understand agricultural biotechnology and make informed, science-based decisions.
The initiative is part of the Strengthening the Enabling Environment for the Development and Uptake of Modern Agricultural Biotechnology (SEED) Project, funded by the DA–Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) through DA-BPO. The project seeks to strengthen institutional mechanisms and pathways for the responsible development and uptake of modern agricultural biotechnology in selected Philippine provinces.
Through interactive lectures, practical exercises, case studies, and assessments, participants will deepen their understanding of biotechnology applications, risk assessment, regulatory safeguards, and the role of local governments in agricultural biotechnology governance and communication.
The activity will also feature a Lakbay-Aral (educational field visit) to biotechnology research facilities and a farmer's field, where participants can engage directly with scientists, technology developers, and other stakeholders. These visits will connect classroom learning with real-world research and agricultural applications.
The training supports the SEED Project's Science–Policy–Practice pathway, particularly its Component 2 (Capacitate), which focuses on helping provincial government units and local stakeholders access, interpret, and apply scientific, technological, and policy-relevant information in decision-making.
By strengthening LGU capacity, SEARCA and its partners aim to help bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and local governance, encourage responsible engagement with agricultural biotechnology, and strengthen the enabling environment for agricultural innovation in the Philippines.