SEARCA in the News

Central Mindanao University (CMU) proudly celebrates the achievement of one of the faculty members of the College of Agriculture, Prof. Ma. Joverly Molde-Abello, a PhD in Horticulture candidate and CHED-SIKAP scholar, who was recognized as Best Presenter at the 10th University Consortium (UC) Graduate Forum held on June 2–3, 2025, at Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia. With the theme "Innovative Agriculture and Green Technologies for a Resilient Future," the forum gathered 25 promising graduate scholars from 12 member universities of the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC), co-hosted by Universitas Brawijaya and the Southeast… Read more

THE application of artificial intelligence (AI) in fish farming is viable based on a pilot deployment of fish feeders in Malaysia. The pilot testing of the AI-assisted technology was made possible with a grant from the Grants for Research towards Agricultural Innovative Solutions or GRAINS of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Agriculture (SEARCA) based in University of the Philippines Los Baños. Particularly in Negeri Sembilan in Malaysia, the installation of automated feeders in fish tanks has reduced time spent on manual feeding by 70 percent and cut feed waste by 20 percent. SEARCA said that for… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) recently sent a message of gratitude to J. Prospero "Popoy" De Vera III for his leadership during his tenure as Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Chairperson from 2018-2025. In a statement, SEARCA said: "De Vera's commitment to advancing Philippine higher education has inspired internationalization, innovation, resilience and global competitiveness." De Vera's support for SEARCA's project, Leveling-Up Philippine Higher Education Institutions in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Natural Resources (LevelUPHEI AFAR), empowered 612 faculty members across 60 state universities through training programs, mobility exchanges, and international collaborations. "We are especially… Read more

TIMOR-LESTE and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) are exploring possible areas of cooperation. This, as the Timor-Leste Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry (MLFF) officials, led by Secretary of State for Livestock José Vieira de Araujo, visited the SEARCA headquarters on May 29, 2025. With Araujo were Carlos Antunes Amaral, general director of Livestock and Veterinary; Agusto Barros, national director of Livestock and a SEARCA scholarship alumnus; Elizabeth Purificação Luan Mali, executive secretary; and Julio Cesar Sequeira Amaral, media officer. They were accompanied by representatives of the Timor-Leste Embassy in Manila… Read more

TWO scholars from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Laguna presented their respective research work at the 2nd Asean University Symposium for Sustainable Food System held recently at IPB University in Bogor, Indonesia. The event gathered representatives from 12 universities in Southeast Asia to address pressing issues in food security and sustainability. Maria Cristina Pammit, a master of science in agricultural economics major at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, discussed her study on crop diversification in Ilocos Norte province. Her research on Market Systems, Economics and Agribusiness examined the profitability… Read more

MARKING a significant step forward in regional collaboration and academic exchange in dairy research, the Capiz State University (CapSU) has strengthened its ties with the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Under the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Faculty Mobility Grant, Dean Ronel Reproto of CapSU College of Agriculture and Fisheries completed his mobility program at UPM from April 21 to May 15. The grant enables grantees to conduct their research work or take courses for credit in any University Consortium member-university, other prominent agricultural university or research institution, be exposed… Read more

SOME 83 students from New Era University (NEU) College of Communication visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) to learn about the craft of messaging in agricultural science. SEARCA Deputy Director for Programs Nur Azura binti Adam and partnerships unit staff welcomed the NEU students. Zara Mae Estareja, SEARCA senior associate for public relations, briefed the students on the center's core programs and discussed the challenges encountered in agricultural communication. These include simplifying complex research findings for general audiences, countering misinformation and influencing stakeholders to take action. Estareja explained that communicating agricultural science… Read more

Livestock researchers from seven ASEAN countries and Uganda met in Phnom Penh last week to consolidate the best available information on measurement of livestock greenhouse gases (GHG). The event, hosted by Cambodia's RUA (Royal University of Agriculture) and facilitated by SEARCA (Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture), was the culmination of recent investment in livestock GHG measurement by New Zealand in many of these countries. The Cambodian workshop distilled the experiences and expertise of participants, to be used as reference by current and future users. Outputs included national summaries of equipment available in their countries… Read more

HEADBOX respiration systems are specialized chambers that measure an animal's methane emissions, particularly from ruminants like cattle. They are designed to collect and analyze the gases exhaled by the animal, providing insights into its methane production. Their development of a more practical standard operation procedure (SOP) to be used in livestock methane research in Southeast Asia led to a learning event attended by greenhouse gas (GHG) research experts from six countries. The gathering, which was held from May 6 to 8 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was hosted by the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in partnership with the Southeast Asian… Read more

A DELEGATION from Ilocos Norte-based Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) recently met with officials of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) to seek support for institutional development. The group included MMSU President Virgilio Julius Manzano Jr., Director for Innovation and Technology Dionisio Bucao, Director for Internationalization, Linkages and Partnership Jeanette Dials, and Chief of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Medical Research Peter James Gann. Welcoming them were SEARCA Center Director Mercedita Sombilla, Deputy Director for Programs Nur Azura binti Adam, Senior Program Head for Education and Collective Learning Maria Cristeta Cuaresma, Program… Read more