Our Stories

“Kung iti-train mo na sila in their early years, kahit bata pa sila, kaya na nila magtanim. Kasi sa simpleng malunggay, sa simpleng alugbati, kangkong, makikita na nila na, ay, kaya ko palang magpatubo [ng pananim]” [If you train them early, even as young children, they can already learn how to grow crops. Through simple plants like malunggay, alugbati, and kangkong, they realize that they are capable of growing their own food.] Learning is often seen as something gained in

In the Philippines, farming is often seen as the last resort, something you do as a fallback, the occupation you pursue when everything else fails. But in this story, we get to know a farmer who chose farming long before farming ever had to choose them. “Kahit katiting, hindi ako nagsisi na tumigil ako sa pagsakay ng barko. Mas masaya ako ngayon bilang farmer.” (“Not even a little bit, I don't regret stopping sailing the ship. I'm happier now as a farmer.”) For Butz Buerom, g

In Thanh Am Village, Can Tho City, Khiet Tam Cooperative Farm blends recycling, efficient resource use, and machinery support with ecological balance at the heart of its agroecological practices. On the third day of the learning exchange, participants visited Khiet Tam Cooperative Farm in Can Tho City to share knowledge and experiences on rice production, particularly on the low-carbon rice model. The activity began with a welcome from the cooperative leaders and local author

Learning from a co-farmer. Mr. Tran Thanh Hung, a farmer breeder at Nui Voi Seed Club, first joined the Community Biodiversity Development and Conservation (CBDC) Program of the Mekong Delta Development Research Institute in 2005. After hosting a Farmer Field Day on his farm, he showcased varieties such as NV 1, which originated from the CBDC project, and has since developed 35 additional varieties through his plant breeding practice. Knowledge is the foundation of sustainabl

In the rice fields of Dong Thap Province, Vietnamese farmers are putting agroecological and conventional methods side by side to see which system delivers better yields, lower costs, and more sustainable outcomes. This was one of the key highlights on the first day of the Learning Exchange, held from March 9–12, 2026, in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The event was organized by SEARICE in partnership with Can Tho University–Mekong Delta Research Institute and other local and regi

In celebration of Women’s Month and the International Year of the Woman Farmer “ Ang kaya ng lalaki, kaya rin ng babae .” (Women can do what men can do.) – Joventina Ong, Bago City, Negros Occidental When people imagine farming, the image we immediately picture is often men tending the fields. But the quote above carries two meanings at once: an affirmation of women’s capability and a response to long histories of exclusion in agricultural spaces. As the United Nations declar

We often talk about eating organic. But what if the meat on our plates came from animals fed organic, locally grown food? In the Philippines, where livestock feeds often rely on imported and genetically modified organism (GMO) ingredients, local indigenous pulses—such as mung beans and kadyos—can support a more sustainable and organic food system through feed formulation. Turning Indigenous Pulses into Livestock Feed In Filipino households, local crops and vegetables are inco