RASSEA is sub-regional network under coordination of APIRAS and GFRAS
Rural Advisory Services in Southeast Asia (RASSEA) is Sub-Regional Network (SRN) under coordination of Asia Pacific Rural Advisory Services (APIRAS). Asia Pacific Rural Advisory Services (APIRAS) is the Regional Network for Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS).
In 26 August 2017, Faculty of Human Ecology (FEMA) IPB University hold a meeting to discuss agricultural extension related issues in Southeast Asia. The meeting had been made possible to occur through co-sharing between IPB University and SEARCA. The meeting was attended by 30 participants comprising representatives from IPB University Indonesia, University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), University of Chulalangkorn, University of Gadjah Mada International Center for Research in Agro-forestry (ICRAF), SEARCA, the University of the Philippines, SEAMEO-BIOTROP, Representative from Ministry of Agriculture Indonesia, Representative from Government of Bogor District, Representative from Government of Bogor Municipality, Extension Workers, Puan Tani (Civil Society Organization), researchers, farmer leaders, and the students. Participants of the meeting agreed to develop Southeast Asia forum for rural advisory services. This forum can be perceived as a hub to improve learning, sharing, networking and advocacy to improve performance of extension in providing the services.
In 27 January 2018, Core Team of RAS-SEA was formed with the function to work on developing the network as an organization. In the 9th GFRAS Annual Meeting that was hold in Korea on October 2018, at APIRAS meeting group, it was suggested that the sub-network would consist of the members from insular region of Southeast Asia. Up to this stage, RAS-SEA aims at strengthening extension/advisory services to fulfill the needs of multi stakeholders towards sustainable agri-food system.
