SEARCA in the News

PILA, Laguna (PIA) – Laguna's rice farmers will now have a new source of income – and new opportunities for renewable energy – thanks to a Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub (RSBH) that repurposes agricultural waste. Unveiled in Pila town, the "dayami" (rice straw) hub aims to demonstrate innovative technologies that convert rice straw into usable bioenergy products. It promotes sustainable agricultural practices and supports the government's effort to reduce carbon emissions from the open burning of rice straw, a practice that has long affected air quality and contributed to greenhouse gases. For Pila Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council Chairperson Ma… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is calling on photographers, students, hobbyists, agripreneurs, and storytellers across Southeast Asia to join the 19th SEARCA Photo Contest. This year's theme, "Beyond the Harvest: People and Processes in the Agriculture Value Chain," invites images that reveal the often-unseen steps that bring food from farms and seas to our tables. SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla said, "The contest looks for powerful, human-centered stories showing life after harvest—how crops are cleaned and sorted, how food is processed and packaged, how goods travel by road and water to… Read more

Hinahanap ng Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) ang mga litratista, mag-aaral, mga 'hobbyist', agripreneur, at kuwentista sa buong Timog-Silangang Asya upang sumali sa ika-19 na SEARCA Photo Contest. Ang tema ngayong taon, "Beyond the Harvest: People and Processes in the Agriculture Value Chain" o "Higit sa Ani: Mga Tao at Proseso sa Hanay ng Agrikultura," ay anyaya para kuhanan ng larawan ang mga karaniwang hindi nakikitang hakbang kung paano napupunta ang pagkain mula sa mga bukid at dagat patungo sa ating mga hapag-kainan. Ayon kay Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, SEARCA Center Director, "Hinahanap ng… Read more

As climate change and food insecurity continue to challenge the nation's agricultural productivity, Filipino scientists are turning to biotechnology (BT) as a key solution for sustainable farming and nutrition. At a media forum on "Biotechnology R&D and Regulatory Landscape in the Philippines" held on October 14, experts from leading scientific institutions reported significant advances in gene-edited and genetically engineered crops— innovations poised to reshape the country's food systems. The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications Inc. (ISAAA) noted a growing global and local acceptance of gene-edited crops, driven by more science-based regulations. These crops — engineered for higher… Read more

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At a time when biotechnology remains one of the most debated frontiers in Philippine agriculture, Filipino scientists and agricultural experts are calling for a simple yet often overlooked principle in policymaking: listen to the farmers. Dr. Clarisse Gonzalvo, a biotechnology researcher from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), noted that after more than two decades of genetically modified (GM) corn cultivation in the country, one truth has become clear — many smallholder farmers have embraced the technology not because of policy pressure or subsidies, but because of their own experience in the fields. "When in doubt, listen," Gonzalvo… Read more

Rektor IPB University Arif Satria menjadi pembicara kunci (keynote speaker) pada 2025 Asean-China Cooperation and Development Conference on Food and Agriculture, di Zhengzhou Henan, China, Senin (13/10/2025). Acara yang dibuka oleh Wakil Menteri Pertanian dan Pedesaan China ini diselenggarakan oleh Asean-China Center yang berpusat di Beijing. Dalam kesempatan tersebut, Arif menyampaikan pidato tentang visi bersama Penguatan Inovasi teknologi dalam Kerja Sama Pertanian dan Pangan yang menyatukan ASEAN dan China. Arif menjelaskan, baik China maupun ASEAN memiliki ketergantungan yang kuat pada sektor pertanian, khususnya pangan. Keduanya juga menghadapi tantangan serupa seperti perubahan iklim, menurunnya jumlah petani muda, dan gangguan rantai pasok… Read more

A groundbreaking study presented today during the Media Forum on Biotech R&D and Regulatory Landscape in the Philippines at Century Park Hotel, reveals that the adoption of Bt corn in the Philippines has done more than just increase yields; it has fundamentally transformed farmers' livelihoods, fostered mental well-being, and built resilient communities, highlighting the profound human cost of policy instability like the 2015 Supreme Court ban on GMOs. The research, led by Dr. Clarisse M. Gonzalvo, a development communication expert from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), delved into the social dimensions of agricultural biotechnology, giving a voice… Read more

Manila: A UK-based company has opened a new rice straw biogas facility in Laguna, creating a two-hectare hub capable of processing 10,000 metric tons of rice straw each year into methane, biochar, and fertilizer, reports Philstar Global. Straw Innovations Ltd. developed the P235 million facility in Pila in partnership with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Ashton University in Birmingham, and the UK government's Innovate UK agency. During the launch, Straw Innovations founder Craig Jamieson said, "This project shows what can happen when communities and science work hand in hand to solve real… Read more

MANILA, Philippines — A UK-based firm has launched a new rice straw biogas hub in Laguna, establishing a two-hectare facility designed to process 10,000 metric tons (MT) of the plant material annually into methane, biochar and fertilizer. Straw Innovations Ltd. built the P235 million facility in the municipality of Pila in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Ashton University in Birmingham and the UK government's innovation agency Innovate UK. "The rice straw biogas hub is a testament to what we can achieve when science and community come together," Straw Innovations founder… Read more