SEARCA in the News

Stakeholders from the Philippine mango industry endorsed a policy resolution seeking expanded science-based support services for growers, highlighting the continued collaboration among government agencies, research institutions, and industry groups to strengthen the sector's long-term competitiveness. During the first semestral meeting of the National Mango Action Team (NMAT) under the National Sectoral Committee on Fruits and Vegetables, participants adopted a resolution recommending that the Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Bureau of Soils and Water Management Regional Laboratories, provide free soil sampling services for mango growers and farms nationwide. Industry representatives emphasized the value of soil analysis in improving orchard management… Read more

A SERIES of policy briefs recently released by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) provide evidence-based recommendations aimed at strengthening regional agriculture productivity, inclusivity, and resilience. The latest installment of the SEARCA Policy Brief Series also examines issues affecting farming communities in the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam, and outlines practical and scalable policy solutions for governments, institutions and development stakeholders. Two of the briefs focus on the Philippines, with one of them focusing on the use of drones. Titled "Making Agricultural Drones Accessible to Philippine Rice Farmers," the brief examines how drones can… Read more

Abstract High-yielding rice landraces that contributed substantially to historical population expansions were widely cultivated across Asia. These landraces are generally believed to have been Champa rice, which originated in present-day Vietnam. Historical records indicate that Champa rice was disseminated to southern China in the eleventh century and subsequently transmitted to medieval western Japan. Contrary to the recent view that Champa rice was derived from the Aus group, our extensive molecular phylogenetic and population genomic analyses indicate that currently available Vietnamese and Japanese Champa rice candidates are associated with the Indica group. Furthermore, although the Japanese landraces were expected to be… Read more

THE Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) has affirmed its participation in the newly launched Consortium for Agricultural Policy Research Initiatives (CAPRI), a regional platform aimed at strengthening collaborative and evidence-based agricultural policy research across Southeast Asia. CAPRI was formally launched during its onboarding workshop, convened by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), on April 27 to 28, 2026. The event brought together agricultural policy research institutions, development partners and regional organizations from 11 Southeast Asian countries, alongside representatives from Asean and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO). Anchored on SEARCA's… Read more

THE PHILIPPINES' chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year will be placed in the spotlight during the country's premier business gathering, the BusinessWorld Economic Forum 2026, happening May 18 at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Manila in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. With the theme "Advancing the ASEAN Agenda: Turning Regional Vision to Corporate Action," the forum is expected to bring together policymakers, economists, top executives and business leaders from various industries for discussions on how the Philippines can use its ASEAN chairmanship to boost economic growth and strengthen its role in the region. The… Read more

LAST May 8, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), based at Los Banos, Laguna, held a forum on how to "effectively respond to the triple shocks impacting the Philippine agriculture sector." Basically, it was the same issues that I wrote about in an earlier column titled "Triple Threat." The triple shocks referred to are skyrocketing fuel costs, rising fertilizer prices, and the strong El Niño predicted to hit the country the second half of this year that can last till early next year. The SEARCA forum was convened by its director, Dr. Merceditas… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines – the representative of Institute of Strategy and Policy on Agriculture and Environment has joined the Consortium collaboration announcement for Agricultural Policy Research Initiatives (CAPRI), a regional platform for collaborative, evidence-based agricultural policy research. The Consortium collaboration announcement took place on April 28, 2026, during 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… Read more

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 research institutions, development partners, and regional organizations from Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries, reaffirming their shared commitment to advancing agricultural policy research collaboration. SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla emphasized the importance of evidence-based policymaking to address systemic challenges such as labor outmigration, an aging farming population, climate risks, and underinvestment in technology and infrastructure. She highlighted… Read more

TO advance evidence-based agricultural and rural growth, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has released three new Agriculture and Development Notes (ADNs), addressing persistent barriers in the region: gender gaps in research, uneven trade benefits, and limited finance access for smallholder farmers. The ADNs examine distinct challenges but share a push for evidence-based solutions that prioritize inclusivity, stronger institutions, and data-driven policy. Together, they underscore SEARCA's focus on translating research into practice to address Southeast Asia's agricultural hurdles. The new titles are "Addressing Gender-Specific Challenges for Equitable Research in Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural… Read more

Philippine Institute for Development Studies reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening agriculture across Southeast Asia as it participated in the Consortium for Agricultural Policy Research Initiatives (CAPRI) alongside regional research institutions, development partners and organizations. The workshop, organized by Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, gathered representatives from 11 Southeast Asian countries, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization from 27 to 28 April. During the event, SEARCA announced plans to launch the Southeast Asian Agricultural Statistics Database in November 2026 during its 60th anniversary celebration. The database aims… Read more