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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

SURABAYA, January 28, 2026 —During the Workshop on Plant Variety Protection, Farmers’ Rights, and the Development of the Indonesian Seed Sector, Normita Ignacio, Executive Director of SEARICE, presented critical insights into the impacts of UPOV 1991, drawing on Vietnam's experience. Her presentation highlighted the complex realities behind plant variety protection (PVP) systems and raised important questions about their implications for farmers, public research institutions

On November 26, 2025, at the Eleventh Session of the Governing Body (GB11), SEARICE joined long-standing partners from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); Asociación ANDES – Association for Nature and Sustainable Development (ANDES), Peru, Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT), Zimbabwe, the Sprouts Collective, and the Farmer Seeds Network (FSN) in the side event “Technical and Institutional Reflections on Catalyzing Change in PGRFA Management.