SEARCA in the News

ECO Heutagogy, the self-directed, self-determined approach to learning applied in environmental contexts, can help communities contribute to the long-term health of watersheds that they rely on. It can also help increase watersheds’ resilience and adaptability to changes, while improving their functions such as water supply, flood regulation, soil stabilization, and support for biodiversity and livelihoods. The framework linking community-led learning with watershed protection was presented at the 16th Asian Conference on the Social Sciences (ACSS) 2026 in Tokyo, Japan, on May 9–13. The research paper was written by Cyril John Nagal, a scholar at the DAAD-Southeast Asian Regional Center for… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has officially reinstated its Professorial Chair Program for the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). This initiative marks a renewed commitment to recognizing academic excellence and reinforces the long-standing institutional partnership between the two organizations. As SEARCA’s host institution, UPLB serves as a vital partner in implementing regional programs, providing graduate scholarship study posts, and contributing expertise to research initiatives. With UPLB’s Chancellor serving on the SEARCA Governing Board, the revival of this program is a timely recognition of their enduring collaboration… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — Five distinguished experts from universities across Southeast Asia have been awarded the SEARCA Regional Professorial Chair for Academic Year 2026–2027, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to research, instruction, and innovation in support of agricultural and rural development in the region. The SEARCA Regional Professorial Chair Award is an annual recognition given to outstanding academics who have made significant contributions to Sustaining Transformation through Agricultural Innovation (SUSTAIN) in Southeast Asia. Since the academic year 2012–2013, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has conferred the award on 72 highly accomplished… Read more

FIFTEEN staff members of Bahay ni Maria in Laguna attended a refresher training on sustainable home gardening conducted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) last June 22, 2026. The aim was to equip new personnel with skills to maintain the site's garden. The session at the Bahay ni Maria, which shelters abandoned elderly persons and children with special needs in Calamba, Laguna, was led by Anna Gale Vallez, program specialist at the SEARCA Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD), along with Sister Marie Sosoban of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of… Read more

LOS BAÑOS / ILOILO, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) have formalized their partnership through a virtual signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 29 May 2026 via Zoom. The MOU establishes a framework for cooperation in academic, educational, and research initiatives, including joint research projects, scholarships, training, and the exchange of information and scientific materials. It aligns the partnership with SEARCA's 12th Five-Year Development Plan: Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia), reflecting the institutions' shared commitment… Read more

Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is rolling out a new online English-support program for its incoming scholars for Academic Year 2026-2027, aiming to better equip them for the rigors of graduate study at English-medium universities. Through its Education and Collective Learning Department – Graduate Scholarship and Institutional Development Unit (ECLD-GSIDU), SEARCA will offer the YES! (Your English Sidekick) Micro-credential to all incoming SEARCA scholars as part of the Center's enhanced Graduate-on-Time Program. Developed by the College of Development Communication (CDC) of the University of the Philippines Los… Read more

CALAMBA, Laguna, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) conducted a refresher training on sustainable home gardening techniques for staff members of Bahay ni Maria, a home for abandoned elderly persons and children with special needs in Calamba, Laguna. Led by Anna Gale Vallez, Program Specialist at SEARCA's Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD), the activity capacitated 15 young staff members and Sr. Marie Sosoban of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Fatima in practical and sustainable approaches to household-level food production. The session covered organic farming, bio-intensive gardening, establishing a… Read more

AS I write this column, there are hopes that a peace agreement between the United States and Iran will hold as the global food system took a lot of beating from higher fertilizer and transport costs due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. And if peace prevails in the Middle East, the nations and regions whose food production systems absorb shocks should waste no time in making their agriculture sectors more resilient and sustainable. This includes the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that, thankfully, already has the ASEAN Food Security Alliance (AFSA) created in 2024 through the… Read more

The Consortium for Agricultural Policy Research Initiatives (CAPRI) held its onboarding workshop on 27-28 April 2026 at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), bringing together representatives from national research institutions, development partners, and regional organizations, including the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), to strengthen collaboration on agricultural policy research across Southeast Asia. SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla emphasized the need for evidence-based policymaking to address interconnected agricultural challenges, including labor outmigration, an aging farming population, climate risks, and underinvestment in technology and infrastructure. She described these issues as "systemic, complex, and mutually… Read more

ALABANG — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) helped organize a conference on how to measure whether science and technology projects are working. The 2nd Science and Technology Impact Assessment Conference (IACon) 2026 was held May 25-26, 2026, at the Acacia Hotel here. It was led by the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Public Affairs and Development, together with the Department of Science and Technology through the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research… Read more