SEARCA News

The COVID-19 pandemic that swept across the globe is a testament to the interconnectedness of all parts of the world and has shone a spotlight on the interlink between the health of people, animals, and the environment—also known as One Health. Thus, it is with a sharp focus on “One Health is Wealth: Healthy Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems” that the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) marks the 15th year milestone of its annual photo contest. The 2021 SEARCA Photo Contest is inviting photographers from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is in search of videos by Southeast Asian youth on personal experience, practice, or advocacy relating to “Youth in Sustainable Food Consumption and Waste Management” as this year’s theme of the Youth COVIDeo Contest.  The video entries must answer the general question: How can young people contribute to sustainable food consumption and food waste management? The videos may tackle healthier diet, responsibly consuming food, or properly managing food waste, particularly during the pandemic. The contest is open to all youth aged 15-35 who are nationals of Brunei… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) have partnered to establish a Halal Science and Technology (S&T) and One Health Knowledge Center for Southeast Asia in the Philippines. To be hosted by the UPLB School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM) with support from SEARCA, the Halal S&T and One Health Knowledge Center is envisaged to be a virtual one-stop, open-access regional hub for country-to-country and cross-country government-academe-industry exchanges of knowledge and resources related to the growing Halal and One Health global ecosystems. “Halal is… Read more

Continuing its commitment in improving access to unbiased science-based information, SEARCA in collaboration with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, United States Embassy Manila, and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) will be conducting the SEARCA Online Learning and Virtual Engagement (SOLVE) webinar entitled “SOLVE Public Info-sufficiency on Genome-edited Crops” on 8 September 2021, 10:00 A.M. (Philippine Time, GMT +8:00), via Zoom and Facebook. Dr. Carl Ramage, Managing Director of Rautaki Solutions, Inc., and Chair of the Institutional Biosafety Committee of La Trobe University, Australia along with Dr. Saturnina Halos, President of the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines will be providing both the global and local perspectives… Read more

Recognizing the need for mobilizing competent and motivated leaders who will champion the initiation and facilitation of complex change processes in addressing climate change in Southeast Asia, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Deutsche Gessellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmBH-Climate-Smart Land Use in ASEAN (CSLU) Project kicked off the second virtual offering of the ASEAN Climate Leadership Programme (ACLP) on 18-19 August 2021 via the SEARCA Online Learning and Virtual Engagement  (SOLVE) platform. This year’s ACLP will run for 15 days over a two-and-a-half-month period (until 28 October 2021). It has… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) conducted its 34th SEARCA Online Learning and Virtual Engagement (SOLVE) webinar titled “SOLVE Gaps in the Agri-Food System: Promoting Youth Inclusion and Innovation” on 11 August 2021 via Zoom and Facebook Live. SEARCA identified Gender and Youth Engagement in agricultural and rural development (ARD) as one of its key priority areas that would accelerate transformation through agricultural innovation. Putting spotlight on the youth sector, the Center establishes the Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation (#Y4AGRI) as its banner youth engagement initiative. Guided by the principle of "by the… Read more

A virtual webinar on low emission and resilient pathways in livestock systems: towards sustainable climate-smart animal agriculture, eco-health, and food security will be held on 31 August 2021, 9:00 to 10:30 am (GMT + 7). It is organized by the GIZ-Climate Smart Land Use (CSLU) in ASEAN project and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) under its collaboration on the promotion of climate-smart agriculture through ASEAN policy documents and regional events. The webinar aims to increase awareness and understanding of the interconnections among climate change, livestock production, eco-health, and food security; promote knowledge exchange… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Can Tho University (CTU) institutionalized their mutual understanding to cooperate in a number of areas of common interest such as training, education, and research in a virtual signing ceremony held via Zoom on 12 August 2021. The agreement was signed by Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA Director, and Prof. Dr. Ha Thanh Toan, CTU Rector, with Mr. Joselito G. Florendo, SEARCA Deputy Director for Administration, and Prof. Dr. Tran Ngoc Hai, CTU Vice Rector, as witnesses. Can Tho University is one of the leading agricultural… Read more

Pililla, Rizal – Adding its reach to continue in forwarding sustainable and inclusive gardening to help uplift the lives of the different sectors in the Philippines during COVID-19, the Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) with support from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) launched the implementation of School-plus-home Garden Projects (S+HGP) in Niogan Elementary School (Niogan ES) on 22 July 2021. Niogan Elementary School is one of the elementary schools situated at Barangay Niogan in the Municipality of Pililla. Twenty parent and teacher beneficiaries of home gardening kits sponsored by SEARCA and PFSI… Read more

SEARCA teamed up with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, United States Embassy Manila, and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) for a virtual webinar for law practitioners entitled Genome-edited Crops: Progress, Potential, and Policies held on 10 August 2021. The learning event was organized in collaboration with the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) and the Philippine Association of Law Schools (PALS).  Atty. Gregory Jaffe, Director of the Project on Biotechnology from the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington DC, and Atty. Paz J. Benavidez II, Independent Policy, Institutional, Legislative & Legal Consultant, provided an overview of… Read more