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SEARCA in the News

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) conducted a three-day onsite training-workshop on bridging research into policy on Jan. 21 to 23, 2025. According to SEARCA director Glenn Gregorio, this was part of SEARCA's commitment to nurturing leaders and innovators in agriculture, rural developmen, and related fields. Organized by SEARCA's Education and Collective Learning Department, the course was designed exclusively for the center's scholars. Gregorio said the course aimed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge to effectively translate research findings into actionable policies, promoting evidence-informed policymaking and practice. Sixteen SEARCA scholars across… Read more
THE latest issue of the Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD), an international journal published by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), has seven new studies and a book review on global food prices, sustainable food system, food security, value chain, income diversification, and hunger and poverty. One of paper is titled "Unveiling Socioeconomic Factors Shaping Global Food Prices and Security: A Machine Learning Approach" where Prof. Shan Shan of Zhejiang University in China said that harnessing machine learning techniques and understanding socioeconomic variables are necessary "to help policymakers make informed decisions… Read more
An international conference provided a platform for tapping into the shared potential of sustainable agricultural intensification practices and biodiversity for food and nutrition security and improving livelihoods of households and communities, and resilient ecosystems. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), through its Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD), teamed up with the Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN) for the "CE SAIN-SEARCA Joint International Conference 2024: The Fourth International Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (SAIN4) and the Third School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement Enterprise (SHGBEE3) Conference."… Read more
THE Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has picked four projects for the 2024–2025 Grants for Research toward Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS). SEARCA Center Director Glenn Gregorio said the grants, ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 each, will support projects to transform food production in the Philippines, Laos, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. Gregorio said the GRAINS project proponents plan to introduce new processes and technologies in farming communities. He added that in the Philippines, Emma Sabado, an entomologist and research consultant at Mindanao State University, will craft and market new protein-rich food products out… Read more
AROUND 800 students from various basic education schools participated in a session of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture's (SEARCA) "Sowing Seeds: Cultivating Youth's Future in Agriculture" at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) on Dec. 14, 2024. According to SEARCA director Glenn Gregorio, the event which was organized in partnership with UA&P aimed to "inspire young individuals to engage in agriculture and pursue higher education in agriculture and related fields." Gregorio explained that "Sowing Seeds" is a career orientation initiative organized by the SEARCA Partnerships Unit as part of the Center's… Read more
Seventy years ago, the Philippines became the second country in Asia and the fourth in the world to establish formal bilateral relations with Laos, and to recognise its role in the international community. As Asia's first republic, the Philippines committed to the self-determination of nations and promoted a "good neighbour" policy, participating in regional activities that fostered closer economic and cultural relations among Southeast Asian countries, on the basis of mutual respect for each other's views and interests. These principles still remain central to the warm friendship and steady partnership shared by Laos and the Philippines today, grounded in shared… Read more
THE Southeast Asian Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in collaboration with the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), conducted an introductory training on agri-robotics at Tarlac Agricultural University's Farmer's Training Center (TAU-FTC). To inspire students and faculty to leverage technology in advancing agriculture, the event brought together Information and Technology (IT), Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE) students, and TAU faculty members. TAU President Silverio Ramon Salunson emphasized the critical role of technology in modernizing agriculture and mentioned his vision for TAU to be known as a smart agriculture university. SEARCA was represented by Darlyn Angeles, SEARCA Emerging… Read more
A RESEARCH project on Agriculture 4.0 without Chemical Synthetic Plant Protection (NOcsPS) is exploring alternative cropping systems that eliminate the use of chemical-based plant protection products while optimizing the use of mineral fertilizers. German Agricultural Scientist Enno Bahrs recently presented this research project at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Baños, Laguna, under the center's Agriculture and Development Seminar Series. Bahrs, who heads the Department of Agricultural Business Management at the University of Hohenheim in Germany, explained that social acceptance of chemical pesticides in conventional agriculture is "declining due to concerns… Read more
THE Taiwan-Asia Vegetable Initiative (TAsVI) Seed Homecoming Ceremony held in Taipei, Taiwan, on Dec. 3 highlighted the collaborative efforts of national gene banks in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia, alongside the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute and the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) to protect and effectively manage Southeast Asia's vegetable biodiversity. The TAsVI project has created a robust platform for the latter's rescue, conservation and sustainable use. At the same time, it fosters knowledge sharing and capacity building among Asian stakeholders, including researchers, seed companies and farmers. Representing the Philippines, Nur Azura Binti Adam, deputy director for Programs of the… Read more
LYCEUM of the Philippines University (LPU)-Laguna students were challenged by Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Director Glenn Gregorio to explore agriculture careers in a Sustainability Series webinar held on Nov. 29, 2024. Via Zoom, Gregorio was the speaker during the said webinar titled "Farming: A Poor Man's Job? Motioned to Change the Perspective of Students on Farming," organized by the League of Warriors, a student organization of LPU-Laguna. The webinar highlighted the role of agriculture in society and showcased the field as a dynamic and rewarding career option to inspire the students to… Read more
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