SEARCA in the News

Livestock researchers from seven ASEAN countries and Uganda met in Phnom Penh last week to consolidate the best available information on measurement of livestock greenhouse gases (GHG). The event, hosted by Cambodia's RUA (Royal University of Agriculture) and facilitated by SEARCA (Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture), was the culmination of recent investment in livestock GHG measurement by New Zealand in many of these countries. The Cambodian workshop distilled the experiences and expertise of participants, to be used as reference by current and future users. Outputs included national summaries of equipment available in their countries… Read more

HEADBOX respiration systems are specialized chambers that measure an animal's methane emissions, particularly from ruminants like cattle. They are designed to collect and analyze the gases exhaled by the animal, providing insights into its methane production. Their development of a more practical standard operation procedure (SOP) to be used in livestock methane research in Southeast Asia led to a learning event attended by greenhouse gas (GHG) research experts from six countries. The gathering, which was held from May 6 to 8 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was hosted by the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in partnership with the Southeast Asian… Read more

A DELEGATION from Ilocos Norte-based Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) recently met with officials of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) to seek support for institutional development. The group included MMSU President Virgilio Julius Manzano Jr., Director for Innovation and Technology Dionisio Bucao, Director for Internationalization, Linkages and Partnership Jeanette Dials, and Chief of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Medical Research Peter James Gann. Welcoming them were SEARCA Center Director Mercedita Sombilla, Deputy Director for Programs Nur Azura binti Adam, Senior Program Head for Education and Collective Learning Maria Cristeta Cuaresma, Program… Read more

IN a move to strengthen food security efforts in the region, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is exploring collaboration for a sustainable agriculture framework with the ASEAN Food Security Alliance (AFSA) and Go Negosyo. A meeting last April among representatives from SEARCA, AFSA and Go Negosyo centered on co-developing a private-sector-driven food security framework that aims to complement ongoing government efforts in agribusiness and trade relevant for the countries comprising the Southeast Asia. The SEARCA delegation was led by its director Mercedita Sombilla and included Rico Ancog, Special Assistant to the Director… Read more

MALANG POST – Universitas Brawijaya (UB) terus mendorong peningkatan pendanaan riset melalui kolaborasi internasional. UB mencatat lonjakan signifikan dalam pendapatan riset per dosen, berkat kontribusi dari hibah internasional dan kemitraan dengan mitra global. Salah satu pencapaian penting adalah keberhasilan Pusat Studi Inovasi Kesehatan dan Pembangunan UB, yang dipimpin oleh Dr. Sujarwoto dari Fakultas Ilmu Administrasi. Kali ini memperoleh pendanaan dari National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Inggris. Proyek ini berfokus pada digitalisasi layanan kesehatan dan kebijakan publik berbasis bukti. Selain itu, UB juga berhasil mengamankan pendanaan hampir 1 juta USD melalui kemitraan dengan Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study… Read more

MALANGRAYA.CO - Universitas Brawijaya (UB) tunjukkan lompatan signifikan dalam penguatan reputasi sebagai universitas riset kelas dunia. Gandeng berbagai lembaga internasional, UB berhasil catat peningkatan tajam dalam pendanaan riset per dosen. Tak hanya soal dana, tren ini cerminkan transformasi strategis UB menuju kampus berbasis inovasi dan kolaborasi lintas negara. Salah satu tonggak penting dalam perjalanan ini adalah keberhasilan Pusat Studi Inovasi Kesehatan dan Pembangunan UB, yang dipimpin Dr. Sujarwoto dari Fakultas Ilmu Administrasi, memperoleh pendanaan dari National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Inggris. Proyek mereka menyoroti digitalisasi layanan kesehatan dan pentingnya kebijakan publik berbasis bukti. "Ini bukan hanya keberhasilan individual, tetapi… Read more

A RENOWNED agricultural economist called for a stronger science-policy-society interface to transform food systems amid escalating global challenges. Shenggen Fan has been emphasizing the urgency of holistic approaches to food systems transformation to address hunger, malnutrition, resource decline, climate change, and widening inequality. He discussed these issues during the recently held Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) hosted by the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) at the University of the Philippines Los Baños campus in Laguna. The SEARCA ADSS is a regular forum for exchanging ideas on agricultural and rural development… Read more

The Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Enhancement (SAFE) Acceleration Program is a program to support and scale innovative business models that tackle Southeast Asia's most urgent challenges in sustainable agriculture and food security. Southeast Asia faces mounting food security challenges, with 60% of its population reliant on agriculture for livelihoods, yet climate change, with increasing droughts and floods impacting crop yields. The region loses an estimated 10–30% of crops annually to pests, extreme weather, and poor infrastructure, deepening rural poverty and malnutrition. Limited access to technology and financing, and aging farming populations need to be addressed to ensure the long-term… Read more

LOW-CARBON rice farming practices and technologies as well as carbon credit opportunities in agriculture were introduced to more than 100 stakeholders from across the rice value chain in a workshop led by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on April 23. Arnan Araza of Leads Agri Digital and Climate-Smart Agriculture gave an overview of climate change and its impact on the Philippine rice sector. He detailed different strategies to reduce greenhouse gas and carbon emissions from rice farming through climate-smart agriculture, including alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation, and efficient water and fertilizer… Read more

IN partnership with the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has rolled out a series of introductory training sessions on agri-robotics for young learners. The activity was part of the project titled "Agri-robotics Education for Young Learners" jointly implemented by SEARCA through its Emerging for Growth Department and CLSU's Precision and Digital Agriculture Center (PreDiCt). For the months of February, March and April this year, the training sessions engaged selected students from Grades 5 and 6, and junior and senior high school levels. Participants came from the School… Read more