LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is advocating for a transformative shift toward circular agriculture systems, moving away from traditional linear and extractive models.
SEARCA Center Director Mercedita Sombilla said that circular agriculture offers practical solutions to pressing challenges, such as climate change and resource scarcity.
She highlighted key measures, including minimizing waste, regenerating ecosystems, and creating value from agricultural by-products like rice straw, livestock manure and crop residues.
Despite existing financial, technical, supply chain, and socio-cultural barriers, Sombilla pointed to positive developments in the region, such as the adoption of precision agriculture, Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and biogas systems.
She also cited case studies from the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries that demonstrate the effectiveness of these innovations.
To drive the mainstreaming of circular practices, Sombilla advocates for coordinated policies, enhanced regional collaboration, and sustained investment.
She emphasized the need for clear communication with stakeholders and encouraged government, academia, and farmers to collaborate on inclusive policy frameworks, consistent research, and robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems.
Sombilla also announced that an expanded SEARCA-TUAF collaboration was formalized through the signing of a memorandum of understanding during the 2025 Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF) International Climate Change Conference on Oct. 14, 2025, in Hanoi.
She underscored that this partnership supports SEARCA's 12th Five-Year Development Plan, focusing on the Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia, also known as Sustain Southeast Asia.
"By partnering with TUAF, SEARCA reinforces its commitment to promoting a climate-resilient, inclusive and innovation-driven agricultural sector, aiming to steer sustainable and transformative initiatives throughout the region," Sombilla said.
The partnership was represented by TUAF Rector Associate Professor Nguyen Hung Quang and Duong Van Thao, head of the Science, Technology and International Cooperation Department.