SEARCA in the News

LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA, Philippines — To equip local government leaders and public servants with science-based tools for agricultural innovation, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) convened leading biotechnology, public health, and science communication specialists for a two-day writeshop on 24–25 September 2026, at the SEARCA Residence Hall. The writeshop focused on upgrading and expanding a comprehensive training module designed to help local government units (LGUs) navigate, implement, and communicate modern agricultural biotechnology initiatives. The initiative is spearheaded under the Strengthening the Enabling Environment for the Development and Uptake of Modern Agricultural Biotechnology (SEED)… Read more

MAKATI, Pilipinas — Tatlumpu’t apat na climate expert, policymaker at forestry specialist mula sa Southeast Asia ang nagtapos sa apat na araw na validation workshop para pagtugmain ang geospatial land-use records, iayon ang mga pambansang climate commitment at palakasin ang mga hakbang sa pagbabawas ng greenhouse gas emissions sa sektor ng Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF). Sinuri sa workshop ang paunang resulta ng regional study na pinangunahan ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ng Pilipinas sa ilalim ng ASEAN Chairmanship ng bansa. Sinuportahan ito ng ASEAN-EU-German Climate Action Programme (CAP), na pinondohan ng European Union at… Read more

Revitalizing Quezon province's coconut industry will require moving beyond low-value copra production toward higher-value processing, building stronger farmer enterprises, and pursuing coordinated long-term investment, according to a new policy brief from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Quezon accounted for about 10 percent of the country's coconut production in 2023 and had the largest coconut area nationwide that year. However, many farming households in the province remain dependent on copra with limited value addition. The brief, titled “Revitalizing the Coconut Industry in Quezon Province, Philippines through Inclusive Enterprise Development and Strategic Roadmapping,” was… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has released a policy brief urging a coordinated transition from low-value copra production to high-value agro-processing, inclusive enterprise models, and sustained infrastructure investments in Quezon Province. Despite accounting for about 10 percent of national coconut output and holding the country’s largest production area in 2023, Quezon’s coconut sector still faces systemic hurdles, including aging groves, recurring typhoon damage, low farmgate returns, fragmented marketing channels, and an aging farmer demographic. Titled “Revitalizing the Coconut Industry in Quezon Province, Philippines through Inclusive Enterprise Development and… Read more

MAKATI, Philippines — Thirty-four climate experts, policymakers, and forestry specialists concluded a four-day validation workshop to harmonize geospatial land-use records, align national climate commitments, and advance mitigation strategies across Southeast Asia’s Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF) sector. The workshop reviewed preliminary findings from a regional study spearheaded by the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) under the country’s ASEAN Chairmanship. The regional study is supported by the ASEAN-EU-German Climate Action Programme (CAP), funded by the European Union and Germany, and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the Southeast Asian Regional Center… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — Forty-two agriculture graduates preparing for the national Licensure Examination for Agriculturists visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 11 September 2026 to learn about the Center’s education, research, and innovation initiatives. The delegation comprised graduates from state and private universities across Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao enrolled at the Los Baños-based Upstep Review Center (URC). This marked the second cohort hosted by the regional research center to bridge the gap between academic preparation and professional agricultural practice. Translating strategy into action: SEARCA’s 4Ps FrameworkSharon Malaiba, Head of the… Read more

How paywalls, research access, and article piracy expose the complicated cost of academic knowledge For Biology students, scientific articles are not optional. They are part of laboratory reports, research papers, literature reviews, and countless assignments. We search for studies, skim abstracts, and finally find the article we need, only to discover that it is behind a paywall. Then comes the familiar thought: “There has to be a free way to get this.” For some students, that search may lead to unauthorized academic piracy platforms such as Sci-Hub. The appeal is understandable: when deadlines are approaching, an immediate alternative can seem… Read more

Cooperation, strong institutions and solutions grounded in scientific evidence and on-the-ground experience are essential as Southeast Asia faces rising climate risks, changing markets, pressure on natural resources and continuing challenges to food security and nutrition, Minister of Education Datin Seri Setia Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh said. She made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the 74th Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization – Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEAMEO SEARCA) Governing Board Meeting, which she officiated yesterday. She said the meeting brings participants together with a shared purpose to address… Read more

POJOKSATU.id - Kesempatan melanjutkan kuliah ke jenjang magister atau doktor tersedia melalui beasiswa penuh Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Program SEARCA Full Master's and PhD Scholarship 2027-2028 ditawarkan kepada warga negara Indonesia untuk menempuh studi S2 atau S3 di bidang pertanian dan bidang terkait. Topik tesis atau disertasi yang diusulkan harus relevan dengan misi SEARCA, yakni advancing agricultural and rural development in Southeast Asia. Program ini didanai penuh SEARCA untuk mendukung individu berkualitas dari negara-negara anggota SEAMEO. Syarat Utama Beasiswa SEARCABeasiswa ini terbuka bagi warga negara anggota SEAMEO yang merupakan pegawai tetap pada… Read more

Jakarta, Beritasatu.com - Kesempatan melanjutkan pendidikan ke jenjang pascasarjana dengan dukungan pendanaan penuh kembali tersedia bagi warga negara Indonesia melalui SEARCA Full MS/PhD Scholarship 2027–2028. Program beasiswa ini ditujukan bagi calon mahasiswa yang ingin menempuh pendidikan jenjang S-2 dan S-3 di sejumlah perguruan tinggi yang telah ditetapkan SEARCA di kawasan Asia Tenggara. Beasiswa tersebut merupakan bagian dari komitmen SEARCA dalam mendukung pengembangan sumber daya manusia, pendidikan tinggi, dan penelitian di Asia Tenggara. Penerima beasiswa dapat melanjutkan pendidikan pascasarjana sekaligus mengembangkan penelitian yang berkaitan dengan pertanian dan pembangunan pedesaan. SEARCA Full MS/PhD Scholarship ditawarkan untuk tahun akademik 2027–2028 dengan cakupan pendanaan… Read more