SEARCA in the News

MANDALUYONG CITY, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has been recognized by the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) as one of its dedicated partners during its Partners' Appreciation Program held at the Mandaluyong City College of Science and Technology Gymnasium on 8 May 2028. Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, SEARCA Center Director, received the plaque of appreciation. DepEd is SEARCA's focal agency in the Philippines under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO). Over the years, SEARCA and DepEd have worked together on initiatives such as the School-Plus-Home Gardens Project (S+HGP) and its offshoot… Read more

For decades, Philippine agriculture has carried a paradox. It remains one of the country's most essential sectors, feeding millions, supporting rural livelihoods, and sustaining local economies, yet it continues to lag behind many of its Southeast Asian neighbors in productivity, modernization, and competitiveness. For Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture Director Dr. Mercedita A. Sombilla, the answer lies not in a single reform, but in a coordinated push involving technology, education, policy reform, financial literacy, and stronger partnerships between government and the private sector. "Agriculture contributes only 9%-10% of our GDP, but it's the bloodline… Read more

BUTUAN CITY- Nagpadayag ang Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) nga ang padayon nga paglambo sa sektor sa mananap ug manok makatabang aron mabawi ang pagkunhod sa produksyon sa agrikultura karong tuiga, taliwala sa "triple shocks" nga giatubang sa Pilipinas tungod sa pagsaka sa presyo sa lana ug enerhiya, mas taas nga gasto sa abono, ug ang umalabot nga El Niño. Gipasiugda ni SEARCA Director Mercedita Sombilla nga kinahanglan padayonon sa gobyerno ang mga interbensiyon sa mnanap ug manok aron mapalig-on pa ang pagtubo sa sektor, ug dugangan usab ang suporta sa tanom pinaagi… Read more

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Baños, Laguna, highlighted their green projects to visiting women leaders from Vietnam on May 8 to support the sustainable transformation of agricultural systems across Southeast Asia. Maria Carla Dolores, SEARCA Research and Thought Leadership senior program associate, presented AquAsean, which aims to improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and contribute to the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector in Southeast Asia. Emil John Cabrera, SEARCA Emerging Innovation for Growth Department program head, presented the Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub (RSBH), which transforms rice straw into valuable… Read more

MANILA, Philippines — Sustained gains in the livestock and poultry sectors are expected to help offset this year's slump in agricultural production, according to the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). This comes as the Philippines faces "triple shocks" this year, amid a surge in fuel and energy prices, higher fertilizer costs and the incoming El Niño. SEARCA director Mercedita Sombilla said the government should continue its interventions to livestock and poultry sectors to sustain further growth. "If the interventions that we used for livestock and poultry will be sustained. They will be the… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the German Agricultural Society (DLG), is gathering students, researchers, faculty members, startups, engineers, developers and innovators across Southeast Asia to participate in the Agritechnica Hackathon and compete for the SEARCA Agrinnovate Farmer-First Award. The hackathon will take place during the Agrinnovate Southeast Asia Summit at Agritechnica Asia 2026 from May 20 to May 22, 2026, at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre in Thailand. According to SEARCA, the summit will gather regional and global leaders in smart farming, digital… Read more

Deadline: 15-Jun-2026 The IDA Program is an institutional strengthening initiative aimed at improving the academic, research, and governance capacity of higher education institutions in Southeast Asia. It is not open to individuals and is implemented only through selected institutional partnerships with SEARCA. Key Objectives The program focuses on: Strengthening institutional capacity in agricultural education Enhancing research and innovation systems Supporting sustainable agricultural transformation Developing faculty and staff competencies Modernizing curricula and training systems How the Program Works SEARCA identifies and engages partner institutions in Southeast Asia Institutional diagnosis is conducted to assess needs and gaps Joint planning is done between… Read more

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