SEARCA in the News

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has set the deadline of applications for research scholarships to doctorate students August 31. The scholarship is open to Filipinos and other Southeast Asians from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. Headquartered at the campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, SEARCA provides research funds not exceeding to $4,500 and optional internship at the center for up to two months. Those who will avail themselves of the internship may be given additional scholarship funds to cover travel expenses… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna: Faculty members of eight universities from six countries gathered at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) to participate in a forum focused on responding to the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The faculty forum is an initiative of the SEARCA-initiated Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC). Its inaugural run on July 23 and 24 was jointly organized by SEARCA and UPLB. A total of 66 participants came from UC members, namely UPLB; Universiti… Read more

A joint effort by three international agencies is scaling out climate-resilient agricultural practices under different agroecosystems and conditions in Guinayangan town, Quezon province. "It takes a village to scale climate-smart agriculture," Leocadio Sebastian, regional program leader for the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (Cgiar) on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in Southeast Asia (Ccafs SEA), said. His words sum up the advocacy of Ccafs SEA, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) to push for the establishment of climate-smart villages (CSVs) in Southeast Asia… Read more

Los Baños, Laguna—Universities in six Southeast Asian countries have converged in a faculty forum at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture and the University of the Philippines Los Baños to discuss the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. UPLB Chancellor Fernando Sanchez Jr. said there were at least 66 participants from UPLB; Institut Pertanian Bogor, Universitas Gadjah Mada, and University of Brawijaya, all in Indonesia; Universiti Putra Malaysia; Kasetsart University in Thailand; Tokyo University of Agriculture in Japan; and National Taiwan University. These institutions are members of the Searca-initiated Southeast Asian University Consortium for… Read more

"It takes a village to scale climate-smart agriculture." This statement of Leocadio S. Sebastian, regional program leader for CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in Southeast Asia, sums up the advocacy of CCAFS SEA, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), and the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) to push for the establishment of climate-smart villages (CSVs) in the Southeast Asian region to improve food security and resiliency in local communities. SEARCA, IIRR and CCAFS SEA jointly conducted a roving workshop last July to demonstrate how local-level outscaling of… Read more

It takes a village to scale climate-smart agriculture. This statement of Leocadio S. Sebastian, Regional Program Leader for CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in Southeast Asia (CCAFS SEA), sums up the advocacy of CCAFS SEA, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), and the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) to push for the establishment of climate-smart villages (CSVs) in the ASEAN region to improve food security and resiliency in local communities. SEARCA, IIRR, and CCAFS SEA jointly conducted a roving workshop last July to demonstrate how local-level outscaling… Read more

The Summer school on Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems in Vulnerable Areas has attracted students from 15 countries. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture has coorganized the activity that was held at SEARCA in Los Baños, Laguna, from July 15 to 31 with field work in Camarines Sur from July 19 to 29. "The summer school was hosted in rotation by the members of the SEARCA-initiated Southeast Asian University Consortium [UC] for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources, which includes the University of the Philippines Los Baños [UPLB]," said Dr. Maria Cristeta N… Read more

AS the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) or Industry 4.0, brings new technology and innovation, so thus challenges. IR4.0 is characterized, among others, by the emergence of machines that run without manpower, relying on "automation" that "computer, communication and internet technologies" made possible. "Industry 4.0 is the automation of information and data exchange in manufacturing technologies," an article on IIOT-World.com says. IR4.0, it said, brings some major challenges that humans may in some future time face. New business models — the definition of a new strategy. Rethinking your organization and processes to maximize new outcomes. Understanding your business case. Conducting successful… Read more

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) - The government is transforming the farming system in Laos from subsistence to commercial crop production to meet the needs of the ASEAN market and to help Lao farmers cope with changes in regional agricultural and food markets. To support the process of agricultural development, the government, especially the Department of Agriculture (DOA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, is providing policy and technical support for implementing programmes, the DOA Deputy Director General, Mr Chantha Thipphavongphanh, said when addressing the second meeting of the national project steering committee. The meeting, under the theme "Agricultural transformation and… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna: The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has co-organized the Summer School on Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems in Vulnerable Areas that has attracted students from 15 countries. Maria Cristeta Cuaresma, SEARCA Program head for Graduate Education and Institutional Development, said the summer school was held at the SEARCA office here on July 15 to 31, with fieldwork in Camarines Sur from July 19 to 29. Cuaresma said the summer school was hosted in rotation by the members of the SEARCA-initiated Southeast Asian University Consortium (UC) for Graduate Education in Agriculture… Read more