SEARCA in the News

Some 21 Dual Agritech scholars and faculty facilitators from Dagatan Family Farm School Inc. (DFFS) visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on Aug. 27 to learn how digital tools and modern technologies are changing agriculture. The visit covered smart farming, agricultural modernization and digital agriculture, giving the young farmers a look at technologies aimed at reducing production costs and improving farm incomes. Reframing farming as smart enterprise SEARCA Deputy Director for Administration Rico Ancog welcomed the delegation and encouraged the scholars to help change the perception of farming from traditional, labor-intensive work… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—Dalawampu’t anim na graduate scholars mula sa Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture o SEARCA ang sumailalim sa limang araw na pagsasanay upang higit na magamit ang kanilang pananaliksik sa pagbuo ng mga policy brief, book chapter at iba pang paraan ng pakikipag-ugnayan sa publiko. Isinagawa ang training na “Beyond the Journal Article: Scientific Writing for Policy and Wider Scholarly Engagement” noong Hulyo 27 hanggang 31, 2026 sa punong tanggapan ng SEARCA, katuwang ang University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Development Communication (UPLB CDC). Dinaluhan ito ng mga master’s at PhD… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) on 17 August 2026 featured a talk by Dr. Robert Meeder, Strategic Director and co-founder of The Institute for Future Creations. In his presentation on “From Compliance to Competitive Advantage: Transparency, Digital Product Passports, and the Future of Responsible Trade“, Meeder explained that digital product passports and blockchain technology are capable of enabling producers in the Global South. The discussion followed the European Union’s Digital Product Passport (DPP) Registry rollout in July 2026. Under incoming EU regulations… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — A new policy brief from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) says that large-scale public spending on school feeding in Southeast Asia could produce a strong dual benefit: it could help combat child malnutrition as well as create steady, high-volume markets for local smallholder farmers. The publication, “Integrating Smallholder Agriculture into School Feeding Programs: Addressing the Agri-Health Disconnect,” examines how institutional procurement can advance child nutrition while alleviating rural poverty. Based on comparative field research in both Malaysia and Indonesia, the brief looks at Malaysia’s Rancangan Makanan Tambahan (RMT)… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — Twenty-six Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) graduate scholars have completed an intensive five-day training program designed to translate academic research into actionable policy briefs, book chapter proposals, and broader public engagement initiatives. Organized under the SEARCA Graduate-on-Time (GOT) Program, the workshop, titled “Beyond the Journal Article: Scientific Writing for Policy and Wider Scholarly Engagement,” ran from 27 to 31 July 2026 at SEARCA headquarters in partnership with the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Development Communication (UPLB CDC). The cohort brought together master’s and PhD scholars representing… Read more

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… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — Seven countries in Southeast Asia presented country-specific assessments on policy coherence and financing for agrifood systems transformation, highlighting fragmented policies, weak local implementation and uneven funding. The findings were discussed at the Regional Workshop on Policy Coherence and the Financing Landscapes for Agrifood Systems Transformation in ASEAN Countries held on Aug. 24 to 26. The workshop was convened by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAO-RAP) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — Pinagtitibay ng mga bansa sa Southeast Asia ang kanilang mga polisiya at sistema ng pagpopondo upang maisulong ang mas napapanatiling agrikultura at food systems. Ito ang sentro ng regional workshop on policy coherence and financing for agrifood systems transformation na isinagawa noong Agosto 24 hanggang 26, 2026 sa pangunguna ng Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAO-RAP), at University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Human Ecology (UPLB-CHE). Dumalo ang mga kinatawan mula Cambodia… Read more

Philippine stocks closed below the 6,000 mark for the first time in this window as investors weighed slower growth, Middle East conflict and a proposed sin tax hike that analysts say could push inflation past the central bank's ceiling. A separate cluster of coverage tracked the economic cost of flooding and a potentially severe El Niño. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) — the benchmark that tracks the 30 largest companies listed on the country's main bourse — closed at 5,916.94 on Wednesday, down 90.84 points or 1.51 percent, its first close below the 6,000 level in this window. The… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) celebrated the milestones of 31 graduate scholars during its virtual Testimonial Ceremony for Academic Year (AY) 2025–2026 on 25 August 2026. The event honored the scholars’ academic rigor and underscored their crucial role in spearheading sustainable agriculture and rural development throughout Southeast Asia. Addressing the graduates, SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla urged the new alumni to extend their research beyond academia and translate evidence into actionable solutions that uplift farming and fishing communities, inform policy, and fortify regional food systems. She urged… Read more