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Yerevan, Armenia - Agroecology is a is a transformative pathway toward sustainable agri-food systems that connects food security, biodiversity conservation, and seed sovereignty toward the empowerment of farming communities. Last October 29, SEARICE joined "Agroecology in Motion: From Vision to Action," a CBD COP17 side event organized by the Agroecology Coalition in Yerevan, Armenia. Drawing on experiences from Southeast Asia, SEARICE Executive Director Normita Ignacio highl

Food security, the rights of farmers and Indigenous Peoples, and the protection of their livelihoods are central to biodiversity conservation. SEARICE underscored this message during the press conference titled “How Can the Philippines Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP) Be Implemented Across the Biodiversity–Climate–Agri-food and Human Rights Nexus? Outcomes of the Multi-Actor Dialogue” on October 23, 2026, during the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Conventio

SEARICE Executive Director Normita Ignacio underscored the importance of recognizing and protecting farmers’ seed systems in advancing agrobiodiversity conservation, food security, and equitable Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) during a side event, Farmer-Led ABS for Ancient Staple Food Landraces, hosted by the Farmers’ Seed Network (FSN) and Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES) during the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Di

Women peel Bisol, a local variety of taro, preparing it to be filled with tender young coconut and cooked into a traditional snack. In the Philippines, rice is often seen as the heart of every meal, but across the country’s upland communities, where the terrain makes rice difficult to grow, families have long built their meals around what the land can offer. In Sitio Ballo, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, corn, banana, coconut, and root crops find their way into the kitch

Protecting Philippine Agriculture While Pursuing Trade Agreements The Philippines has legitimate national interests in protecting farmers' seed systems, agricultural biodiversity, indigenous knowledge, and food security. While international trade agreements are important, these objectives should not require the country to adopt legal obligations that reduce its policy space beyond what international law requires. North-South FTAs serve as the primary mechanism encouraging d

Photo from: Department of Agriculture (DA) As biodiversity loss continues to threaten global food systems, the need to rethink how food is produced has become increasingly urgent. While agriculture is often identified as a contributor to climate change and environmental degradation, it is important to emphasize that the challenge lies not in agriculture itself, but in the widespread use of conventional production systems that depend heavily on synthetic inputs, degrade soils,

Slideshow from left to right: Signing of the ordinance in Barangay Camingawan (May 8); Barangay Tagukon, Kabankalan City (May 9); Barangay Tabunan, Bago City (May 11); Barangay Mailum (May 13), Bago City; Barangay Bacong-Montilla, Bago City (May 12), and Barangay Minoyan, Murcia (May 14). Ray Allan Gomez, a farmer from Kabankalan City, is determined to have traditional seed varieties documented at the barangay level. He aims to prevent the loss of traditional varieties of ric