SEARCA in the News

Despite the persistence of COVID-19 pandemic and with impacts of recent typhoons to spill over until the first half of 2021, the agriculture sector is still expected to grow 2.5 percent next year. Likewise, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has not yet totally given up on a growth performance of less than 1 percent for the farm sector for 2020 even if it has been considered the “most challenging year for the Philippine agriculture sector.” “We expect a modest growth of 1 percent in 2020. For 2021, we target to attain a conservative 2.5 percent growth,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar… Read more
PROSPECTS for growth in agriculture remain tenuous due tc the ongoing impact of the pandemic, with natural disasters holding the potential to inflict setbacks, and the worst-case scenario estimated in the negative single-digit range, a professor at Pampanga State Agricultural University said.  Roy S. Kempis said in an e-mail interview the calamities can "easily" wipe out any progress made in growing agricultural output in 2021.  "My conservative estimate for the value of production of the sector in 2021 ranges from minus 0.70% to growth of 1%,' Mr. Kempis said, adding that his pessimistic scenario is between a contraction of 1%… Read more
The Philippines’ agriculture sector has survived a volcano eruption that blanketed tons of farm yield with ashes and sustained production within three quarters into the pandemic, but it only took three typhoons to expose its vulnerability. And Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) National Manager Raul Montemayor has one piece of advice to the government, which is to focus on helping farmers and fishermen recover. “We need to help the farmers first,” Montemayor said in a text exchange, referring to the damage that the recent typhoons, especially Rolly and Ulysses, caused in the lives of poor agriculture stakeholders. The government estimates… Read more
Three state universities have recently partnered with the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca). Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU) and Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) have inked pacts with Searca to work together on areas of mutual interest such as education, research and training, a Searca news release said. For its part, the Batangas State University (BatStateU) also agreed to work with Los Baños, Laguna, -based Searca in the same areas, with special focus on innovative agricultural technologies, agribusiness incubation and technology transfer, the news release added. Signatories to the five-year memoranda of… Read more
CROP biotechnology has reduced pesticide use associated with environmental impact and has been proven to be beneficial for agricultural biodiversity, according to a United Kingdom-based agricultural economist and scientists from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) during a recent online technical forum. In a recent online technical forum titled “Greener Greens: Environmental Impact of Biotech Crops” which was convened by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca), Graham Brookes, an agricultural economist at the UK-based PG Economics Ltd., presented the cumulative impact of using genetically modified (GM) crop technology in agriculture from… Read more
THE Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU), Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) and Batangas State University (BatStateU) have partnered with the Philippine government-hosted, Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) to revitalize the agriculture sector in the country. TAU and LSPU have formalized ties with Searca on areas of mutual interest such as education, research and training while BatStateU also agreed to cooperate in the same areas with special focus on innovative agricultural technologies, agribusiness incubation and technology transfer. Under the partnership, a five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Searca Director Dr. Glenn… Read more
THE Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU), Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) and Batangas State University (BatStateU) have recently partnered with the Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). TAU and LSPU have formalized ties with SEARCA on areas of mutual interest such as education, research and training while BatStateU agreed to cooperate in the same areas with special focus on innovative agricultural technologies, agribusiness incubation and technology transfer. Under the partnership, a five-year memoranda of understanding (MoU) was signed by Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director; Max Guillermo, TAU president; Mario R. Briones, LSPU president; and… Read more
THREE state universities partnered with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture in pursuit of training and technology transfer. The Tarlac Agricultural University and Laguna State Polytechnic University signed agreements under which they will work together on areas of mutual interest such as education, research, and training. Meanwhile, the Batangas State University also signed an agreement with special focus on innovative agricultural technologies, agribusiness incubation, and technology transfer. Signatories to the five-year memoranda of understanding include SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, Dr. Max P. Guillermo, TAU president; Dr. Mario R. Briones, LSPU president; and… Read more
The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), of which the Philippines is a chartered member, celebrated its 55th  year in November. SEAMEO has 26 regional centers across Southeast Asia, three of which are hosted by the Philippine government. The country is represented in the SEAMEO Council by the Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), a news release said. “Indeed, SEAMEO has come a long way since its inception in 1965 and has taken pride of its achievements over the years as Southeast Asia’s longest running regional organization for promoting quality education, science and culture,” said Dr. Ethel Agnes… Read more
Three state universities have recently partnered with the Philippine government-hosted, Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU) and Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) have formalized ties with SEARCA work together on areas of mutual interest such as education, research, and training, while Batangas State University (BatStateU) also agreed to cooperate with SEARCA in the same areas with special focus on innovative agricultural technologies, agribusiness incubation, and technology transfer. Signatories to the five-year memoranda of understanding (MOU) signed by SEARCA with the three universities were SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B… Read more
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