Searca: Smallholders should be central in farm development

THE Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) recently conducted a one-day forum to consult on “Reshaping Agriculture and Development in Southeast Asia” at its headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, along its emphasis on cross-cultural, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural and rural development. Fifty leaders and experts attended the forum.

Fernando Sanchez Jr. PhD, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) chancellor and SEARCA governing board chair, said there is a need for development organizations to keep abreast of the changing development landscape of agriculture and development in Southeast Asia, and to continue asserting their relevance in helping their various stakeholders, particularly smallholder farmers.