SEARCA News

Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), was the speaker during the Sustainability Series webinar titled Farming: A Poor Man's Job? Motioned to Change the Perspective of Students on Farming, held on 29 November 2024 via Zoom. Organized by the League of Warriors, a student organization of the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU)-Laguna, the webinar was attended by LPU-Laguna students. The webinar highlighted the role of agriculture in society and showcased the field as a dynamic and rewarding career option to inspire the students to appreciate and… Read more

TAIPEI, Taiwan—Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam, Deputy Director for Programs of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), underscored the Center's dedication to advancing sustainable agricultural development during the Taiwan-Asia Vegetable Initiative (TAsVI) Seed Homecoming Ceremony held in Taipei on 3 December 2024. The event highlighted the collaborative efforts of national genebanks in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia, alongside the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute and the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg), to protect and effectively manage Southeast Asia's vegetable biodiversity. The TAsVI project aims to create a robust platform for the rescue, conservation, and… Read more

TAYABAS CITY, Quezon – As part of the "Development of Coconut Industry Growth Areas in the Province of Quezon" project, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) organized an exposure and learning trip (Lakbay Aral) for Quezon coconut farmers to visit lambanog processing sites in Tayabas City. Lambanog is a traditional liquor made from distilling fermented coconut sap. The activity aimed to improve the farmers' skills and knowledge in value-addition, specifically in lambanog production. Twenty farmers from the municipalities of Catanauan, Lopez, Candelaria, and Sariaya participated in the activity. They learned about the different… Read more

The CE SAIN-SEARCA Joint International Conference 2024: The Fourth International Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (SAIN4) and the Third School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement Enterprise (SHGBEE3) Conference is set to take place on 19–22 November 2024 in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This year's theme is "Harnessing synergies of sustainable agriculture and biodiversity towards food and nutrition security and improved livelihoods." Organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) together with the Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN), the SAIN4-SHGBEE3 Joint International Conference 2024 aims to provide a… Read more

PASAY CITY, Philippines—Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), served as a panel discussant during the "Sustainability and Technology in the Rice Supply Chain" session of the 2024 International World Rice Conference Summit held on 5–7 November at the Conrad Hotel Manila. In his talk, Dr. Gregorio underscored the role of sustainability and technology in strengthening the rice supply chain. "We embrace sustainability and technology to transform the rice supply chain toward greater resilience and transparency," he remarked. "By integrating sustainable practices and advanced technology, stakeholders can better… Read more

Building on its goal to maximize academe-industry-government interconnectivity, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) convened representatives from the academe, media, farmer groups, and local government units in the province of Agusan del Norte for the Stakeholders Consultation Workshop: Building Alliances for Modern Biotechnology Promotion and Uptake in the Philippines. The event, co-organized with the Caraga State University (CSU), was held on 24 October 2024 at the CSU Campus. It provided an inclusive platform to gather feedback, share information, and build consensus among stakeholders to support the provincial government in promoting the uptake of… Read more

PALAWAN, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) recently organized an initiative titled, "Assessment and Utilization of School Garden Produce through a Cooking Contest/Recipe Development and Monitoring and Evaluation Activities of School Gardens," as part of the School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement and Enterprise (SHGBEE) in Coron and Busuanga, Palawan. This initiative, designed to improve the nutritional status of children, integrates fresh produce from school gardens into the school-based feeding program (SBFP) of the Department of Education (DepEd). As several crops have reached harvest maturity, SEARCA arranged a cooking contest to encourage… Read more