The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) recently held the 2nd international conference on Agricultural and Rural Development in Southeast Asia (ARD2014) on 12-13 November 2014 in Manila, Philippines. This high-level conference addressed the theme, ‘Strengthening resilience, equity, and integration in ASEAN food and agriculture systems’. Key issues discussed at the meeting were productivity improvement, inclusive value chains, sustainability and poverty reduction, food security and food safety, institutions and governance and regional cooperation and integration. More than 450 representatives from international development agencies, research centres, academic institutions, governments and civil society attended the meeting. Continue reading →