About Us

The Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE) is a duly registered non-government organization based in the Philippines and implements projects in several countries in Southeast Asia. It has about 45 years of experience in rural development work, with a specific focus on the empowerment of farming communities. It promotes agroecology with emphasis on agricultural biodiversity. It builds partnerships with farming communities; relevant government, research and academic institutions; and civil society organizations (CSOs).

Key Work Areas

SEARICE empowers small farmers by equipping them to transform their agri-food systems to sustainable and resilient agri-food systems through agroecology. SEARICE promotes farmers' rights by mainstreaming a human rights-based framework in agri-food systems.

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Milestones

SEARICE started as a “circle of friends” in 1977 among activists from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. After about 45 years of working in several countries in Southeast Asia, SEARICE has become a catalyst for transformative agroecology, highlighting the protection of agricultural biodiversity and promotion of farmers’ rights.

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Vision, Mission, and Goal

SEARICE is a catalyst and facilitator of gender-sensitive and inclusive development and empowerment of rural farming communities for the advancement of farmers’ rights, food and nutrition security, and sustainable stewardship of the earth’s resources.

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Our Work

SEARICE is a catalyst for transformative agroecology, highlighting the protection of agricultural biodiversity and promotion of farmers’ rights. SEARICE's current and past projects exemplify SEARICE's technical and policy work in these work areas. In all its projects, SEARICE takes a three-pronged approach towards promoting sustainable and resilient agri-food systems, including: (1) capacity development of smallholder farmers and empowering rural communities; (2) community-driven policy advocacy building on the work with the grassroots; and (3) networking and linkaging with relevant stakeholders for alliance building.

Our Partners

SEARICE works with partners in several Southeast Asian countries, including farmers' organizations, local and national government agencies, resource partners, the academe, and civil society organizations.

Work With Us

SEARICE invites persons who are committed to the empowerment of farmers and rural communities who can work with us as full-time staffmembers, volunteers, or interns.

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