The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) said that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has approved its five-year roadmap for agriculture higher education in the Philippines.
In a statement on Thursday, the organization said the roadmap, developed in partnership with the Visayas State University and engagement of selected higher education institutions (HEIs) and private-sector organizations, was endorsed during the CHED Committee En Banc meeting earlier this month.
SEARCA said the roadmap is expected to elevate agricultural education. It seeks to strengthen the sector's contribution to national development as it lays out a forward-looking vision to modernize academic programs, enhance institutional leadership, and align agricultural higher education with national priorities and global standards.
It added that the roadmap also integrates institutional strengthening, curriculum modernization, and policy innovation into a cohesive framework intended to transform the capabilities of HEIs offering agriculture programs.
SEARCA said that among the focus points of the roadmap is the advancement of future-ready curricula that blend flexible learning modalities, interdisciplinary approaches, and innovative teaching strategies.
It claimed that the roadmap would ensure that graduates are not only technically equipped but also prepared with the entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills needed in modern agri-food systems. This will be done by strengthening linkages between instruction, research, extension, and industry.
The roadmap integrates with international benchmarking, drawing insights from agriculture education models in Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan. It seeks to highlight digital transformation as a strategic driver for teaching, learning, and institutional innovation, while also strengthening industry-academe partnerships to make research and extension programs more relevant to community and enterprise needs.
"With its approval, the roadmap now serves as a guiding document for policy reforms and institutional initiatives that will shape the future of agricultural education in the Philippines," SEARCA noted. "It is expected to inform enabling policies, development programs, and sectoral partnerships that will enhance industry responsiveness, community engagement, and research productivity, while supporting socioeconomic development goals."