SEARCA News

The Philippine Association of Agriculturists (PAA), Inc., the only Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) for agriculture in the Philippines, will be holding its 10th National Congress and the 2023 Philippine Agriculturists' Summit on 25–27 July 2023 at SMX Convention Center in Davao City, Davao del Sur. The event will bring together experts, policymakers, and practitioners from various fields in agriculture. It aims to devise innovative solutions and strategies to ensure a resilient and sustainable future for the country's agricultural sector. The high-profile summit will focus on the theme "Sustainable Transformation of Philippine Agro-Food Systems" and will showcase the collective determination… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has commenced its new fiscal year by offering customized training to incoming scholars for the academic year 2023–24. A group of 11 scholars hailing from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam actively participated in the Basic English Course. The course, which started on 4 July 2023, kicked off with its first module focusing on conversations for social and academic interaction, as well as pronunciation improvement. This initial module was conducted online via Zoom. Subsequently, eight of the 11 scholars will continue their language learning journey… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM)'s Faculty of Animal Science have joined forces to offer the International Training on Cage-Free Innovation and Welfare Hub to a group of thirty-one participants representing 19 State Universities and Colleges-Association of Colleges of Agriculture in the Philippines (SUC-ACAP) member universities. The week-long training, which commenced on 10 July 2023, aimed to equip attendees with knowledge on best practices for cage-free egg production, ensuring safety and nutritional quality, and promoting sustainable farming practices for environmentally responsible agriculture. The program was developed in… Read more

In an enriching cultural and academic exchange, 40 Taiwanese and Filipino students from the Youth Cultural and Learning Immersion Camp, along with two Taiwanese professors, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 10 July 2023. The visit was aimed at enhancing the students' understanding of the Center's influential research and work on climate change, rural development, and food security; and it was arranged by the University of the Philippines Open University's (UPOU) Faculty of Management and Development Studies under its Project LAKBAY (Learning Actively through Knowledge-Based Appreciation for Youth). The students were… Read more

BANGKOK, Thailand—One Health experts and officials of the specialist institutions of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) have convened recently for a two-day regional workshop on the inclusion of One Health concepts in basic education curriculum across Southeast Asian countries. Dr. Glenn Gregorio, director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), and Ms. Beatrisa Martinez, SEARCA executive coordinator, represented the Center at the workshop held on 22–23 June 2023. The workshop was co-organized by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Tropical Medicine Network (SEAMEO TROPMED Network), the Southeast Asia One… Read more

Former Senator of the Philippines Paulo Benigno "Bam" Aquino paid a visit to the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 6 July 2023. Prior to the visit, Aquino had participated in a speaking engagement at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Student Union, where he addressed the importance of bridging programs for senior high school students. Mr. Aquino was welcomed by a team led by Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director. Others who attended the meeting include Dr. Nur Azura Adam, deputy director for programs; Assoc. Prof. Joselito Florendo, deputy director for… Read more

In an effort to refine their monitoring and evaluation (M&E) processes, 41 staff members from the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 2 (DA-RFO 2) in Tuguegarao City, Philippines, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 6 July 2023. Their objective was to benchmark the best practices employed by SEARCA, particularly those related to project monitoring and evaluation. During the visit, the delegation from DA-RFO 2 was briefed by Assoc. Prof. Joselito Florendo, SEARCA deputy director for administration, who provided an overview of the Center, its programs, and its range of services. The… Read more

In an event marked by renewed commitment and increased cooperation, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on 29 June 2023 at the UPOU campus in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. The MOU represents a revival of the institutional collaboration that will continue to foster joint programs, projects, and related activities between SEARCA and UPOU, capitalizing on viable opportunities that may arise. In a parallel move, the MOA establishes the framework for their… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has teamed up with local government units (LGUs) in Laguna, Philippines, as well as the Lactation, Attachment, Training, Counseling, Help Los Baños (LATCH LB) to facilitate the Human Milk Donation Drive, an initiative designed to promote breastfeeding awareness and provide essential support to mothers and infants. Held on 20 June 2023 in Cabuyao and 23 June 2023 in Bay, the donation drive was spearheaded by a robust coalition. SEARCA, LATCH LB, and the municipal governments of Cabuyao and Bay in Laguna as well as the Laguna provincial… Read more

The HEAL-PH mobile application bagged the top prize at the Food is Life Exemplified: Planetary Health Diet (FLExPHD) app development competition. Team M1R4G3 from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) created HEAL-PH to help students develop healthy eating habits patterned after the planetary health diet (PHD). FLExPHD aims to support transforming the food system and eating decisions toward PHD, a science-based, values-driven, plant-based diet. The competition was organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL), and the Philippine Council for Agriculture… Read more