LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) formalized a strategic partnership through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on 12 February 2026. The agreement outlines joint initiatives in agricultural education, research, innovation, and capacity building across Southeast Asia and other tropical fruit-producing regions.
TFNet, established in 2000 under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is an intergovernmental and inter-institutional organization dedicated to promoting sustainable global development in tropical fruit production, consumption, and trade.
Under the five-year agreement, SEARCA and TFNet will work together to advance agricultural sustainability, knowledge exchange, youth engagement, and sector development. Through collaborative research, joint agricultural education and innovation programs, and the sharing of publications and knowledge products, both institutions aim to address pressing challenges in agricultural systems and the tropical fruit value chain.
The MOU also creates opportunities for broader regional collaboration through capacity-building and multi-country projects that support farmers, researchers, industry partners, and youth. By leveraging their complementary mandates, both institutions seek to foster innovation, strengthen food security, and enhance the competitiveness of tropical fruit industries while helping improve rural livelihoods.
Early gains from the partnership are already evident. Shortly after the agreement was established, TFNet CEO Muhamed Salim bin Mohd Ali served as a speaker in SEARCA's Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS).
SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla and Salim led the signing, underscoring their organizations' shared commitment to strengthening the tropical fruit sector and bolstering research and training ecosystems in Southeast Asia and beyond. Dr. Rico Ancog, SEARCA Deputy Director for Administration; Mr. Christian Anthony Cangao, TFNet Information Officer; and Ms. Sharon Malaiba, SEARCA Partnerships Unit Head, also attended the event.
This collaboration supports SEARCA's 12th Five-Year Development Plan: Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems Through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia), which emphasizes policy, research, transformation, and innovation. By scaling innovations in the tropical fruit sector and expanding research, education, and capacity-building initiatives, the partnership contributes to building resilient agricultural systems and ensures that smallholder farmers and rural communities benefit from emerging opportunities in the region's agri-food landscape.