THE Taiwanese government is looking at the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture as major partner and a window to the Association of South East Asian Nations in agriculture and rural development.
Searca in its recent visit to Taiwan have discussed with Council of Agriculture Executive Yuan, National Taiwan University and the Taiwan-based Food and Fertilizer Technology Center common interest and priority concerns that will be the basis for collaborations in research, graduate education and institutional development, and knowledge management initiatives.
Searca is mandated to promote inclusive and sustainable agricultural and rural development in Asean countries and Timor-Leste through its core programs on graduate education and institutional development, research, and knowledge management.
COA, on the other hand, is the authority on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, animal husbandry, and food affairs in Taiwan, and NTU is the most prestigious university in the country with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen among its alumni.
Gil Saguiguit Jr., Searca director, said their recent visit to these major agriculture-focused institutions in Taiwan was on the heels of separate visits of NTU and COA officials to the Center in 2017.
Saguiguit said NTU and COA officials during their visit sought to renew ties with Searca considering the Taiwanese government’s New Southbound Policy which seeks new regional partners to enhance economic cooperation, talent exchange, and resource sharing between Taiwan and 18 countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Australasia.
COA and NTU are pivoting their expertise and resources to benefit developing countries in the Southeast Asian region in support of the New Southbound Policy.
“As such, they are looking at Searca as a major partner and a window to the region,” Saguiguit said.
He said that in a planning workshop held on Feb. 8-9, 2018, NTU and Searca agreed to support scholarships for Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in biotechnology tenable at NTU’s Institute of Biotechnology.
Moreover, Saguiguit said, both institutions are interested in jointly developing and offering training courses, possibly on sustainable ecological environment, bio-fertilizers, plant factories, and biotechnology regulations and policymaking, with a view to draw in COA and FFTC into the collaboration.
He also noted NTU’s expressed interest to join the SEARCA-initiated Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC).
“As the consortium secretariat, SEARCA will facilitate conveying such interest and invitation of NTU as observer in the next UC Executive Board Meeting,” Saguiguit said.
In the meantime, he said, NTU will mull possible areas for joint research with SEARCA and the UC members which may be in food and nutrition security and climate change adaptation and mitigation.