SEARCA in the News

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

Deadline: 31 October 2025 The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is inviting applications for its Seed Fund for Research and Training (SFRT), which provides grants of up to USD 15,000 to support innovative agricultural research and training initiatives in Southeast Asia. The objectives of the program are to provide start-up funds to Southeast Asian researchers and scientists who can make significant contributions to the development of the region but lack the funds to carry out their projects, build grantees' capacity to develop research proposals and manage projects, and expand SEARCA's reach in terms… Read more

Every harvest and milling season, rice straws—or dayami—are often discarded as waste in agricultural fields due to the lack of economic and technical means to process them. Some farmers resort to burning rice straw to clear their fields efficiently, a practice that releases harmful greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. This is the challenge that the United Kingdom startup Straw Innovations, with funding support from Innovate UK, aims to address in the Philippines. The company seeks to transform dayami into a source of bioenergy and biogas through close coordination with Philippine and British partners, national government agencies, and local governments… Read more

The Philippines recently reached a concrete milestone in its pursuit of sustainable agriculture with the inauguration of the first-ever Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub in Pila, Laguna. Unveiled on October 7, 2025, the Hub represents a significant and practical step toward developing greener, more resilient farming systems nationwide. This initiative, spearheaded by agritech company Straw Innovations Inc. and its partners, focuses on converting rice farming waste, primarily rice straw, into valuable resources such as clean energy, soil amendments, and biochar. Transforming Waste into Economic Opportunity For generations, rice straw has presented a persistent challenge to rice farmers, often leading to open-field… Read more

The country has unveiled its first-ever Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub in Pila, Laguna — a milestone in sustainable agriculture that turns rice farming waste into valuable resources like clean energy, biochar, and soil-enriching amendments. This breakthrough signals a major stride toward greener, more resilient farming systems across the country, agritech company Straw Innovations Inc. said in a press statement. The Hub was inaugurated on Oct. 7, 2025 by leaders from the national and local governments, international partners, and farming communities. Converting waste into wealth Developed by Straw Innovations Inc. with partners Aston University, SEARCA, Koolmill Systems, Takachar, and Innovate UK… Read more

On October 7, 2025, Straw Innovations and partners launched the Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub in Pila, Laguna — the first in the country. The Hub was inaugurated by the British Embassy Manila, Department of Agriculture (DA) and its different agencies, and Laguna LGUs in attendance. The Hub showcases world-first technologies: Straw Traktor® – collects straw even in wet fields, saving fuel & doubling efficiency Takavator™ – turns straw into biochar for soil health & carbon credits Koolmill™ – uses 90% less energy in milling, reducing grain losses Biogas Hub – clean energy from rice straw Beyond technology, the Hub puts… Read more

UK agritech firm Straw Innovations has launched a rice farming machine designed to boost yields, cut emissions and strengthen food security in Asia. The launch marks a major step in its expansion into the Philippines, Indonesia and India. The machine, called the Straw Traktor, has been shown to increase rice production by up to 65% a year while halving methane emissions, one of agriculture's most potent greenhouse gases. It enables farmers to harvest rice three times a year instead of two, while improving soil health and generating new income streams from what was once treated as waste. The Straw Traktor… Read more

Grand Launch of the Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub (RSBH) 'Empowering Rice Farming through Straw Innovations' on 7 October 2025 at the Straw Innovations Ltd. site in Pila, Laguna in the Philippines. The Supergen Bioenergy Hub and Aston University together with project partners Straw Innovations, Koolmill and SEARCA international partnership, funded by Innovate UK, is tackling the dual challenge of agricultural waste and rural energy access—by turning rice straw, often burned as waste, into a valuable source of clean bioenergy. The event showcased the newly developed cutting-edge rice straw harvesting technologies of Straw Innovations, and the collaborative outputs of this… Read more

The 7th University Consortium Faculty Forum (UCFF), hosted by the Central Mindanao University (CMU), concluded last week with a commendation from the event's secretariat, SEARCA (Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture). Focused on "Building a Sustainable Future: Agriculture in a Green Economy for Global Food Security," its enduring outcome was a renewed regional commitment to integrated research collaboration. Read more »… Read more

Los Baños, Philippines — Young leaders from Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Philippines took center stage at a webinar hosted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on August 14, 2025. Held via Zoom and Facebook Live, the event celebrated International Youth Day by highlighting the pivotal role of youth in transforming local agrifood systems. Speakers shared their experiences in launching innovative solutions, overcoming challenges, and advocating for greater youth engagement in agriculture. Ms. San Thida Aung (Myanmar), Head of Education at MyFarmer Labs, introduced "MyFarmer," a groundbreaking agritech platform connecting smallholder farmers to… Read more