SEARCA in the News

Grand Launch of the Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub (RSBH) 'Empowering Rice Farming through Straw Innovations' on 7 October 2025 at the Straw Innovations Ltd. site in Pila, Laguna in the Philippines. The Supergen Bioenergy Hub and Aston University together with project partners Straw Innovations, Koolmill and SEARCA international partnership, funded by Innovate UK, is tackling the dual challenge of agricultural waste and rural energy access—by turning rice straw, often burned as waste, into a valuable source of clean bioenergy. The event showcased the newly developed cutting-edge rice straw harvesting technologies of Straw Innovations, and the collaborative outputs of this… Read more

The 7th University Consortium Faculty Forum (UCFF), hosted by the Central Mindanao University (CMU), concluded last week with a commendation from the event's secretariat, SEARCA (Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture). Focused on "Building a Sustainable Future: Agriculture in a Green Economy for Global Food Security," its enduring outcome was a renewed regional commitment to integrated research collaboration. Read more »… Read more

Los Baños, Philippines — Young leaders from Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Philippines took center stage at a webinar hosted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on August 14, 2025. Held via Zoom and Facebook Live, the event celebrated International Youth Day by highlighting the pivotal role of youth in transforming local agrifood systems. Speakers shared their experiences in launching innovative solutions, overcoming challenges, and advocating for greater youth engagement in agriculture. Ms. San Thida Aung (Myanmar), Head of Education at MyFarmer Labs, introduced "MyFarmer," a groundbreaking agritech platform connecting smallholder farmers to… Read more

THE Laguna-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN), recently evaluated the School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement and Enterprise (SHGBEE) Project in Cambodia. A comprehensive baseline study to support the implementation of the said SHGBEE Project, the study marks a critical step toward understanding the current conditions of selected pilot sites and generating evidence-based insights to guide the project's strategic direction. This partnership between SEARCA and CE SAIN in conducting the study is aimed at boosting sustainable agriculture and nutrition… Read more

KAMPONG THOM and SIEM REAP, Cambodia — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN), has conducted a comprehensive baseline study to support the implementation of the School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement and Enterprise (SHGBEE) Project in Cambodia. The baseline study marks a critical step toward understanding the current conditions of selected pilot sites and generating evidence-based insights to guide the project's strategic direction. The key pilot locations include Raksmey Sophanna High School and Samdech Euv High School, where site… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) featured Dr. Oskar Lecuyer, environmental economist at the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), in its latest Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) on September 12, 2025. Held both online and onsite, the event highlighted the Blue Environmental Sustainability Gap (Blue ESGAP) framework—a novel tool that guides the sustainable management of marine and coastal resources. Lecuyer introduced Blue ESGAP as an advancement of AFD's original Environmental Sustainability Gap (ESGAP) model, now being piloted in Indonesia and the Philippines. Blue ESGAP uses specialized indicators to… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has made the official call for applications for the 2025 SEARCA Grants for Research towards Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS). According to SEARCA, the grants under initiative were designed to accelerate the growth of high-impact agricultural innovations and startup ventures that can revolutionize regional farming systems and uplift rural livelihoods across Southeast Asia. The SEARCA GRAINS program invites agri-innovators, researchers and dynamic startups who have developed working prototypes of agricultural solutions to elevate their innovations. “Successful applicants will receive critical support to scale their… Read more

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Cacao farmers in Davao City may soon benefit from a pioneering alert system that leverages satellites, sensors, and drones to safeguard crops and ensure a steady harvest of premium beans. The new technology, validated through a landmark project, uses satellite data, soil sensors, and drone imaging to provide advanced warnings of potential health disruptions to cacao plants. These warnings are delivered as simple mobile messages, allowing farmers to take prompt action and prevent crop losses. The project is funded by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) through its Grants… Read more

Los Baños, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is proud to announce the official call for applications for the 2025 SEARCA Grants for Research towards Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS). This grant is designed to accelerate the growth of high-impact agricultural innovations and startup ventures that can revolutionize regional farming systems and uplift rural livelihoods across Southeast Asia. The SEARCA GRAINS program invites agri-innovators, researchers, and dynamic startups who have developed working prototypes of agricultural solutions to take their innovations to the next level. Successful applicants will receive critical support to scale… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—A Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) seminar underscored the pressing need for coastal communities in Southeast Asia to be integrated into national and local development strategies through the blue economy. The Agriculture and Development Seminar Series on August 20 that featured Dr. Ma. Carmen Ablan-Lagman from De La Salle University presented insights on rethinking coastal poverty amid emerging economic opportunities. Ablan-Lagman emphasized that Southeast Asia's oceans possess immense potential for sustainable growth that is both inclusive and equitable. Titled "From Margins to Mainstream: Rethinking Coastal Poverty in the Age of the… Read more