SEARCA News

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) mourns the passing of Professor Dr. Vo Tong Xuan, a renowned Vietnamese agricultural expert and the first recipient of SEARCA's prestigious Dioscoro L. Umali Achievement Award. Dr. Xuan died on 19 August 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City at the age of 84. Dr. Xuan was honored by SEARCA in 2008 for his groundbreaking work in promoting sustainable agriculture, particularly rice production, in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. His innovative approach and contributions, including developing and popularizing the IR36 rice variety in the Mekong Delta, have had a… Read more

LUCENA CITY, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the Provincial Office of Quezon through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) Quezon, hosted the inaugural Quezon Lambanog Summit on 14 August 2024 at the Quezon Convention Center, Lucena City, Quezon. The summit, a significant part of the annual Niyogyugan Festival, was a platform to discuss the potential of Quezon's lambanog in the global market. The theme "Quezon Lambanog: Opportunities, Challenges, and Impact to Tourism" highlights the role of this local product in the province's economy. The summit was… Read more

Eighteen Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI) undergraduate students, accompanied by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nina Nocon-Shimoguchi and Asst. Prof. Dongyool Kim, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 16 August 2024 for a briefing on the Center's programs and activities on agribusiness development. Since 1999, SEARCA has been hosting Tokyo NODAI students for their Philippine Field Practice, with this visit marking the 34th batch of students to engage in this enriching cross-cultural and educational experience. "This is the 25th year of Tokyo NODAI's Philippine Field Practice, and SEARCA has always been part… Read more

Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional Centre for Food and Nutrition (RECFON) officials Dr. Judhiastuty Februhartanty, Research Unit Manager, and Ms. Indriya Laras Pramesthi, Training Unit Manager, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 14 August 2024 to discuss updates on the 2nd SEAMEO International Conference on Food and Nutrition (ICFN) 2024 and explore possible collaborations on their Nutrition Goes to School (NGTS) program. Accompanying them was Dr. Leila Africa, a professor at the University of the Philippines Los Baños Institute of Human Nutrition and Food. Like SEARCA, RECFON is… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) welcomed faculty members from the National Dong Hwa University (NDHU) on 16 August 2024. The delegation was composed of Dr. Yuan-Ron Ma, Distinguished Professor of the Department of Physics; Dr. Wen-Yen Chang, Dean of the College of Environmental Studies and Oceanography; Dr. Ruey-Yi Chang, Deputy Dean of the College of Science and Engineering; and Dr. Chun-Hung Lee, Director, and Dr. Li-Li Lee, Deputy Director, both of the Center for Sustainable Development. They explored potential areas of collaboration, specifically on scholarships and capacity-building initiatives. NDHU is a prestigious… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines - The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), through its Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD), in partnership with the Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agriculture Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN), Royal University of Agriculture, Cambodia, and the Department of Education (DepEd) Laguna and Palawan, initiated a collaborative benchmarking activity. This activity aimed to strengthen the best practices of the School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement and Enterprise (SHGBEE) program in Cambodia through a series of visits to farm schools in Siniloan, Cavinti, and Pila, Laguna on 7–10 August 2024. The benchmarking… Read more

STA. CRUZ, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) strengthened ties with the Provincial Agricultural and Fishery Council (PAFC) Laguna and Straw Innovations Ltd., through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that aimed to foster their shared commitments toward a more sustainable agricultural practice signed at the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, on 9 August 2024. The MOU is a derivative of the initial discussion during the Sectoral Committee Meeting on Rice and lecture-workshop among PAFC Laguna members on the effects of climate change and the production of low-emission rice facilitated… Read more

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia—Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), underscored the crucial role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in achieving food security and economic development, particularly in the post-pandemic era, at the Third International Food Research Conference (IFRC) 2024 held on 6–8 August 2024 at the Palm Garden Hotel. With the theme "Sustainable Food Industry through Science, Technology, and Innovation," the conference gave food researchers the opportunity to exchange insights and discuss their findings and innovations centered on food. It covered sessions on food analysis, food safety and quality… Read more

PASAY CITY, Philippines—Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Center Director Dr. Glenn Gregorio was honored with the 2024 Outstanding Professional of the Year Award in the field of Agriculture by the Philippine Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Dr. Gregorio was recognized at the awarding ceremony held on 2 August 2024 at Conrad Manila wherein the PRC hailed 33 recipients in four clusters: engineering; health; business, education and social; and technology. Dr. Gregorio was among the eight awardees in the technology cluster. Extensive contribution to agricultural innovation, research, and education Dr. Gregorio is the 11th SEARCA… Read more