LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — A delegation of 21 Dual Agritech™ scholars and faculty facilitators from the Dagatan Family Farm School, Inc. (DFFS) visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 27 August 2026 to explore regional initiatives in smart farming, agricultural modernization, and digital technologies.
Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Rico Ancog, SEARCA Deputy Director for Administration, urged the youth to help transform the public image of agriculture from strenuous manual labor into a smart, interconnected, and profitable enterprise powered by strategic thinking and innovative mindsets. He noted the need for practical, farmer-centric technologies—such as soil sensors and crop health monitors—to reduce production costs, increase yields, and raise household incomes, noting that local farming costs in the Philippines continue to outpace those in neighboring countries. Ancog also stressed SEARCA’s mandate under its 12th Five-Year Development Plan: Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia), and encouraged students to take advantage of SEARCA’s MS and PhD scholarships, training programs, research grants, and incubation platforms.
Dr. Emil John Cabrera, Program Head of SEARCA’s Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD), led an interactive session on open innovation, agri-incubation, and technology transfer. Cabrera walked scholars through key modern agritech components, including:
- Agricultural drones and Internet of Things (IoT) soil sensors
- Precision automation tools and controlled-environment systems
- Scalable solutions backed by SEARCA’s Grants for Research towards Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS), such as the AIRIN automated irrigation system, the ARCHIE pest-control robot, AI-driven fish-feeding platforms, and microclimate monitoring devices
The visit wrapped up with an episode screening of the SEARCA Youth in Agri Talk Show centered on climate action, alongside an experiential tour of the SEARCA Hub for Agriculture and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING) AgriMuseum.
Mr. Jeremy Feria, Program Director and Head of External Affairs for Dual Agritech™ at DFFS, thanked SEARCA for opening its doors and sharing its expertise with the scholars.
DFFS, recognized as Asia’s first family farm school and certified as a learning site for agriculture by the Philippine Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI), previously engaged with SEARCA for innovation learning programs in 2023. This latest visit reaffirms both institutions’ common commitment to equipping rural youth with the tools and vision to lead Southeast Asia’s agricultural transformation.