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 and resource scarcity. She emphasized minimizing waste, regenerating ecosystems, and creating value from agricultural residues such as rice straw, livestock manure, and crop by-products.
Sombilla acknowledged financial, technical, supply chain, and socio-cultural barriers to adoption, but highlighted emerging innovations—including precision agriculture, Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and biogas systems—supported by some Philippine and Southeast Asian case studies. She called for coordinated policies, regional collaboration, and sustained investment to mainstream circular practices and enhance food system resilience.
Following her keynote, Sombilla stressed the importance of effectively communicating the complexity of sustainability to diverse stakeholders.
"All these elements are interconnected," she said. "You cannot solve one issue without considering the ripple effects on the others."
She called on government, academics, and farmers to co-create enabling environments through inclusive policy frameworks, sustained research, and adaptive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems.
The event also marked a new chapter in SEARCA-TUAF collaboration with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU). TUAF was represented by its Rector, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hung Quang, who also serves as Vietnam's representative to the SEARCA Governing Board, and Dr. Duong Van Thao, Head of the Science, Technology and International Cooperation Department.
SEARCA's 12th Five-Year Development Plan is focused on Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia). It reflects the Center's commitment to transforming agriculture into a climate-resilient, inclusive, and innovation-driven sector. With its strong foundation in agricultural education and research, TUAF complements SEARCA's vision, positioning both institutions to collaborate on and lead transformative, sustainability-focused initiatives across the region.