LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is set to launch its newest knowledge-sharing platform, the Meet the Diplomat Series (MDS), with an inaugural session on 23 February 2026. Anchored on SEARCA's 12th Five-Year Development Plan: Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia), the MDS provides a vital space for aligning foreign policy priorities with regional agricultural and rural development goals. Building on its long-standing engagement with the diplomatic community, SEARCA is deepening partnerships with embassies and international missions to align agricultural and rural development with broader geopolitical and bilateral perspectives, positioning the Center as a key player at the intersection of science, policy, and diplomacy.
The series will debut with the Royal Thai Embassy, Manila, as its featured partner, in an event co-organized with the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)–Foreign Service Institute (FSI). Partnering with DFA-FSI leverages their expertise in foreign policy and diplomatic training and their experience in curating high-level dialogues, such as the Ambassadors' Lecture Series (ALS). The collaboration will also mobilize relevant audiences from the public and private sectors, the diplomatic corps, academe, and civil society through FSI's established networks.
The MDS will provide a platform for ambassadors to share country updates, foreign policy directions, development priorities, and cooperation opportunities in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia. Beyond information sharing, the series will serve as a partnership-building mechanism to strengthen mutual understanding, goodwill, and collaboration between embassies and the Los Baños Science Community. Insights from these dialogues will directly inform SEARCA's flagship initiatives, including policy research, capacity-building programs, and the development of country agricultural outlooks aligned with the regional and global agenda.
The MDS is a by-invitation, onsite event, featuring a diplomat presentation, an open dialogue, and a networking reception. While hosting a seminar with an ambassador is not new, the MDS breaks new ground by positioning the diplomat's perspective as a springboard for sustained and results-oriented joint regional initiatives rather than just a one-off speaking engagement.
Attendees will include diplomatic officials, policymakers, researchers, and invited academics and specialists in fields relevant to the seminar topic, ensuring the dialogue remains focused and impactful for the region's agricultural stakeholders.
Through this new platform, SEARCA reaffirms its commitment to fostering inclusive, innovation-driven, and globally aligned agricultural solutions for Southeast Asia, consistently advocating for agricultural transformation, food security, and environmental sustainability. The series will enable SEARCA's stakeholders to gain a deeper and broader understanding of these critical areas and their implications for regional stability and global relations.