SEARCA in the News

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)'s Consortium for Agricultural Policy Research Initiatives (CAPRI) held its onboarding workshop on April 27–28, 2026. The event convened representatives from national research institutions, development partners, and regional organizations from the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries, reaffirming their collective commitment to advancing agricultural policy research and collaboration. SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla emphasized the importance of evidence-based policymaking to address systemic challenges, including labor outmigration, an aging farming population, climate risks, and underinvestment in technology and infrastructure. She… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), with support from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), hosted the third session of its Meet the Diplomat Series (MDS) featuring His Excellency Massimo Santoro, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to the Philippines. The event served as a high-level platform for aligning EU foreign policy priorities with those of the Philippines. A central focus of Ambassador Santoro's discussion was economic growth, particularly the ongoing negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). He expressed hope that the negotiations would be concluded in 2026… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) recently hosted the third session of its Meet the Diplomat Series (MDS), bringing together policymakers, academics, and industry leaders to discuss the EU-Philippines alliance on trade, green innovation, and agricultural development. With the support of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, the event, held on April 15, 2026, featured His Excellency Massimo Santoro, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to the Philippines, who shared insights on the ongoing negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the EU and the Philippines. Sharing the EU's vision for… Read more

BATANGAS, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Department of Education (DepEd) co-hosted a dialogue titled "From Farms to Classrooms: Nourishing Futures Together" at Tangway Integrated School in Lipa City, Batangas. The event convened educators, agricultural cooperatives, and local policymakers to explore the strategic integration of local agriculture into school nutrition programs. Aligned with DepEd's efforts toward universal school feeding, the dialogue emphasized the provision of safe, appropriate, and nutritious meals for all students. SEARCA's initiatives demonstrated that farm-to-school connectivity can improve children's long-term dietary habits by linking local farmers… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) hosted the fourth installment of its Meet the Diplomat Series (MDS) featuring His Excellency Dr. Lai Thai Binh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the Philippines. The event underscored the critical intersection of science and diplomacy in driving sustainable development across Southeast Asia. Opening the session, SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla highlighted Vietnam's remarkable transformation from a nation once facing food security challenges into a global agricultural powerhouse. She noted that Vietnam is now the world's second-largest… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), with support from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), hosted the third session of its Meet the Diplomat Series (MDS) featuring His Excellency Massimo Santoro, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to the Philippines. The event served as a high-level platform for aligning EU foreign policy priorities with those of the Philippines. A central focus of Ambassador Santoro's discussion was economic growth, particularly the ongoing negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). He expressed hope that the negotiations would be concluded… Read more

Calamansi is so common to us that we barely stop to think about it. But what feels ordinary at home is actually one of the Philippines' most important fruit crops, already rooted in our land, our kitchens, and our daily life. This is exactly why calamansi matters. The Philippines does not need to invent a new "superfood" or chase a foreign trend when we already have a fruit that is deeply ours and already produced at scale. Calamansi is not just important to Filipinos. SEARCA said there is a huge international market for it, while Philippine-made calamansi products are already… Read more

MAKATI CITY, Philippines — In a significant step toward strengthening resilience and sustainability by integrating human, animal, and environmental health systems, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), the Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) launched the Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean (ASEACA) program in the Philippines. The event was held at the New World Hotel in Makati on March 26–27, 2026. ASEACA is designed to mitigate existing threats and proactively prevent future crises by focusing on risk assessment… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — Representatives of five agricultural policy research institutions signed the CAPRI Membership Agreement, formally launching the Consortium for Agricultural Policy Research Initiatives (CAPRI) as a regional platform for collaborative, evidence-based agricultural policy research. The signing took place on the second day of CAPRI's onboarding workshop, convened by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on April 27–28, 2026. Anchored on SEARCA's 12th Five-Year Development Plan: Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia), the workshop brought together leading agricultural policy research institutions from 11 Southeast Asian… Read more

The College of Public Affairs and Development of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (CPAf-UPLB), together with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), will conduct the 2nd Science and Technology Impact Assessment Conference on May 25–26, 2026, at Acacia Hotel Manila in Alabang, Muntinlupa. Guided by the theme, "Evaluating What Works in Science, Technology, and Innovation-led Pathways to Development," the… Read more