SEARCA in the News

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) will lead the development of a regional micro-credential curriculum on regenerative and resilient agriculture in collaboration with two other centers under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO). The 12-month project, funded through the Seameo Inter-Centre Collaboration (ICC) Grant, will design and pilot test a competency-based curriculum for agricultural educators, technical-vocational trainers, extension workers, and early-career practitioners across the region. SEARCA is partnering with the SEAMEO Regional Open Learning Centre (SEAMOLEC) and the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Higher Education and Development (RIHED)… Read more

The University of the Philippines Visayas Graduate School proudly congratulates Dr. Jihan Santanina S. Alumbro of the School of Technology for successfully completing the FMFC International Training Programme 2026 entitled “Integrating the Healthy Foods Value Chain: From Local to Functional Claim,” held at Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai, Thailand from July 1-15, 2026. Dr. Alumbro participated in the international training through the Faculty Mobility Grant awarded by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). The grant supports academic and professional exchange among faculty members in Southeast Asia, fostering regional collaboration and strengthening… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—A new generation of Southeast Asian “climate detectives” is being inspired through the Youth in Agri Talk Show, which aims to build climate awareness and interest in agriculture among young learners across the region. The show’s fourth episode, “Climate Detectives: The Case of the Changing Climate,” aired recently on Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture’s (Searca) Facebook page has garnered 55,000 views, whose largest audiences were from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste. Featuring agri-tech leader as ‘Chief Detective’ Headlining the episode was Ochie San Juan, chief farmer and co-founder of Mayani, an agri-tech… Read more

Many Filipino farmers are not fully aware that the practice of burning rice straw can significantly contribute to global warming. “Rice production also contributes to global warming as it emits methane,” said Dr. Constancio Asis, Jr., a former supervising science research specialist at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. Following carbon dioxide, methane ranks as the second most critical greenhouse gas, responsible for trapping solar heat as it attempts to radiate back into space. Methane is produced naturally as a byproduct of anaerobic bacteria, which thrive in environments with little or no oxygen. These bacteria generate… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — Pormal nang inilunsad ng Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) ang ika-20 edisyon ng SEARCA Photo Contest na may temang “Food for All, Food for the Future,” na naglalayong ipakita ang mahalagang papel ng mga sistema ng pagkain sa Timog-Silangang Asya. Sa loob ng dalawang dekada, naging daan ang patimpalak upang maipakita sa pamamagitan ng potograpiya ang iba’t ibang mukha ng agrikultura at pamumuhay sa kanayunan—mula sa pagsasaka at pangingisda hanggang sa inobasyon, kultura, kabuhayan, at pag-asa ng mga komunidad. Ngayong taon, hinihikayat ng SEARCA ang mga propesyonal at amateur… Read more

In spite of industrialization, the Philippines continues to be primarily an agricultural nation. Given that rice serves as the country’s staple food, approximately 35% (around 4.7 to 4.8 million hectares) of its total agricultural land is allocated for rice cultivation. Currently, the Philippines ranks as the 8th-largest rice producer globally, contributing roughly 2.8% to the world’s rice production, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Many rice farmlands, however, depend exclusively on rainfall or lack consistent irrigation, leading to seasonal variations in the actual harvested area, which typically ranges from 1.08 million to 2.12 million hectares per cropping… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — Increasing farm output through traditional methods is not enough to strengthen agri-food systems in Asia, according to a new set of studies published in the June 2026 issue of the Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD). Volume 23, Number 1 of AJAD brings together research on policy analysis tools, value-chain development, digital technologies, advisory services, and risk management. The articles suggest that improvements in production, market coordination, and information access must work together to strengthen agri-food systems. AJAD is the official international scientific journal of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research… Read more

SLEMAN, InfoPublik – Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi Margomulyo Seyegan di Kabupaten Sleman, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, terpilih menjadi model percontohan program pemenuhan gizi sekolah dalam studi tingkat Asia Tenggara yang digagas Program Pangan Dunia, Senin (27/7). Dapur penyelenggara Program Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) binaan Badan Gizi Nasional (BGN) tersebut masuk dalam riset bertajuk Landscape Analysis on School Meals Programmes Implemented by ASEAN Member States. Penelitian yang dilaksanakan oleh Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) ini bertujuan menyelaraskan kebijakan gizi sekolah di negara anggota Perhimpunan Bangsa-Bangsa Asia Tenggara (ASEAN). Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG) Margomulyo dinilai… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is inspiring a new generation of “climate detectives” through its Youth in Agri Talk Show, which aims to build climate awareness and interest in agriculture among young learners across Southeast Asia. The show’s fourth episode, “Climate Detectives: The Case of the Changing Climate,” aired on 15 May 2026 at 7:00 p.m. (GMT+8) on SEARCA’s Facebook page and has so far garnered 55,000 organic views. The largest audiences tuned in from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste. Featuring agritech leader as “Chief Detective”Headlining the… Read more

Pagtitipunin ng Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) ang mga senior policymakers, mananaliksik, development organizations, pribadong sektor, samahan ng mga magsasaka, at iba pang pangunahing stakeholder mula sa Timog-Silangang Asya at iba pang bansa para sa Agricultural and Rural Development (ARD) Conference 2026 sa Disyembre 2–3, 2026 sa Sheraton Manila Hotel sa Pasay City. Tampok sa kumperensiya ang temang “Policy Pathways for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation in Southeast Asia,” na layuning bumuo ng isang magkakaisang panrehiyong adyenda para sa mas matatag, inklusibo, at napapanatiling agri-food systems. Ayon sa SEARCA, nasa isang mahalagang yugto ang… Read more