SEARCA in the News

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) convened the fifth installment of its Meet the Diplomat Series on July 29, highlighting opportunities to expand agricultural trade, improve market access in Southeast Asia and strengthen economic cooperation between Ukraine and the Philippines. The session featured Ukraine’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Yuliia Fediv, and was the latest in the series following diplomatic discussions with representatives from Thailand, Spain, Vietnam and the European Union. Focus on trade and market access In her presentation, Fediv outlined Ukraine’s position as one of the world’s major agricultural producers, often referred… Read more

CHONBURI, Thailand — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) presented five working papers and secured new collaboration opportunities during the 2026 SEAMEO Centre Directors Meeting (CDM) held 14–15 July at the Amari Bangsaen Hotel. The annual meeting brought together leaders and representatives of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) network as it marked 60 years of regional cooperation in education, science and culture. SEARCA was led by Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, with Dr. Rico Ancog, Deputy Director for Administration, and Mr. Arnel Oabina, Financial Analyst. SEARCA submitted five papers to… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) welcomed 62 participants, including lecturers and the organizing team, from seven countries to the International Ecology School (IES) 2026 held 15–21 July 2026 in Laguna, Philippines. The participants included 23 graduate and undergraduate students. With the theme “Resilient Ecologies, Shared Futures: Innovation for Climate and Biodiversity,” the week-long program brought together participants from Mongolia, the People’s Republic of China, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Through lectures, research presentations, and field-based training, they deepened their understanding of climate resilience, biodiversity conservation… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — Nineteen development communication (DevCom) student interns from Zamboanga Peninsula Polytechnic State University (ZPPSU), Mindanao State University (MSU), and University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 15 July 2026 to learn how communication supports agricultural innovation, knowledge management, and sustainable rural development. Organized in coordination with the UPLB College of Development Communication (CDC), the visit introduced the interns to SEARCA’s regional work at the intersection of communication, agricultural technology, and sustainable rural development. Ms. Paula Muyco, Program Specialist at the Education and… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) held the fifth session of its Meet the Diplomat Series on 29 July 2026, featuring Her Excellency Yuliia Fediv, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of the Philippines. The session highlighted opportunities to expand agricultural markets, strengthen bilateral trade, and deepen academic collaboration between Ukraine and the Philippines. In her presentation, titled “Between the Skies and Planes,” Fediv outlined Ukraine’s national profile and cultural heritage, and described the country’s continued role as the breadbasket of Europe despite supply chain disruptions… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) will lead the development of a regional micro-credential curriculum on regenerative and resilient agriculture in collaboration with two other centers under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO). The 12-month project, funded through the Seameo Inter-Centre Collaboration (ICC) Grant, will design and pilot test a competency-based curriculum for agricultural educators, technical-vocational trainers, extension workers, and early-career practitioners across the region. SEARCA is partnering with the SEAMEO Regional Open Learning Centre (SEAMOLEC) and the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Higher Education and Development (RIHED)… Read more

The University of the Philippines Visayas Graduate School proudly congratulates Dr. Jihan Santanina S. Alumbro of the School of Technology for successfully completing the FMFC International Training Programme 2026 entitled “Integrating the Healthy Foods Value Chain: From Local to Functional Claim,” held at Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai, Thailand from July 1-15, 2026. Dr. Alumbro participated in the international training through the Faculty Mobility Grant awarded by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). The grant supports academic and professional exchange among faculty members in Southeast Asia, fostering regional collaboration and strengthening… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines — The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) will bring together policymakers, researchers, development partners, private sector leaders, farmers’ groups, and other stakeholders for the Third International Conference on Agricultural and Rural Development (ARD) in Southeast Asia on 2–3 December 2026 at Sheraton Manila Hotel in Pasay City, Philippines. With the theme “Policy Pathways for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation in Southeast Asia,” the ARD Conference 2026 will serve as a regional platform to advance resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agrifood systems. Organized as a flagship event of SEARCA’s 60th Anniversary, the conference… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—A new generation of Southeast Asian “climate detectives” is being inspired through the Youth in Agri Talk Show, which aims to build climate awareness and interest in agriculture among young learners across the region. The show’s fourth episode, “Climate Detectives: The Case of the Changing Climate,” aired recently on Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture’s (Searca) Facebook page has garnered 55,000 views, whose largest audiences were from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste. Featuring agri-tech leader as ‘Chief Detective’ Headlining the episode was Ochie San Juan, chief farmer and co-founder of Mayani, an agri-tech… Read more

Many Filipino farmers are not fully aware that the practice of burning rice straw can significantly contribute to global warming. “Rice production also contributes to global warming as it emits methane,” said Dr. Constancio Asis, Jr., a former supervising science research specialist at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. Following carbon dioxide, methane ranks as the second most critical greenhouse gas, responsible for trapping solar heat as it attempts to radiate back into space. Methane is produced naturally as a byproduct of anaerobic bacteria, which thrive in environments with little or no oxygen. These bacteria generate… Read more