Training-Workshop on Transformational Agricultural Innovation Systems for the New Future (TrAInS)-Day 1
Los Baños, Philippines June 2025 — The Rural Advisory Services – Southeast Asia (RASSEA) proudly congratulates Dr. Epsi Euriga, S.E., M.Sc, Program Manager at RASSEA and Assistant Professor in Sustainable Agriculture Extension at the Indonesian Agricultural Development Polytechnic – Yogyakarta Magelang, Ministry of Agriculture, Republic of Indonesia, for her selection as a SEARCA scholar for the 2025 Training-Workshop on Transformational Agricultural Innovation Systems for the New Future (TrAInS).
This prestigious regional workshop, co-organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), the Center for Research on Innovation and Science Policy (CRISP), and the Asia-Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services Network (APIRAS), will be held from 16–20 June 2025 in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines.
As one of the selected scholars from Southeast Asia, Dr. Euriga will join a cohort of researchers, extension leaders, and policy practitioners in a transformative learning journey that aims to:
- Deepen understanding of Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) concepts and practices;
- Equip participants with tools to design and implement transformative AIS at national and organizational levels;
- Develop tailored capacity development interventions to address real-world agricultural challenges;
- Promote inclusive and sustainable innovation through emerging technologies.
Day 1 Highlights | SEARCA TrAInS 2025
Dr. Epsi Euriga Presents Indonesia’s Agricultural Innovation Landscape in Regional Workshop
The 2025 Training Workshop on Transformational Agricultural Innovation Systems for the New Future (TrAInS) officially commenced at the SEARCA Headquarters, bringing together agricultural development leaders from across Southeast Asia. The program is co-organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), the Center for Research on Innovation and Science Policy (CRISP), and the Asia-Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services Network (APIRAS).
Recap of Day 1 Sessions and Dialogue
Opening Remarks
Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, SEARCA Center Director, welcomed participants with a call to reimagine innovation through regional cooperation and system transformation. On behalf of Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, SEARCA Center Director, the welcome message was delivered by Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam, Deputy Director for Programs at SEARCA. She emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and transformational thinking in addressing the complexities of agricultural innovation, calling on participants to champion inclusive and system-based approaches for sustainable development in Southeast Asia.
Program Introduction
Dr. Nova Ramos, Head of SEARCA’s Training for Development Unit, facilitated introductions of participants and training teams, setting the stage for collaboration.
Workshop Overview
Dr. Virginia Cardenas, former SEARCA Deputy Director, outlined the learning objectives—emphasizing systems thinking, policy engagement, and capacity strengthening for sustainable innovation.
Country Report Presentations
Participants presented their pre-training assignments, guided by Dr. Cardenas. Dr. Euriga’s comprehensive analysis of Indonesia’s AIS prompted an insightful discussion on policy and institutional reform.
Representing Indonesia and RASSEA, Dr. Epsi Euriga, S.E., M.Sc, Assistant Professor in Sustainable Agriculture Extension at the Indonesian Agricultural Development Polytechnic – Yogyakarta Magelang, opened Day 1’s technical sessions with her presentation of Indonesia’s agricultural innovation system. As the Program Manager at RASSEA, she contributed unique insights into Indonesia’s multi-layered extension and research landscape.
🇮🇩 Indonesia’s Agricultural Innovation System: Challenges and Pathways
Dr. Euriga’s presentation addressed six interrelated themes:
- Socioeconomic Profile – She discussed Indonesia’s persistent rural poverty, income disparities, nutritional gaps, and the vital role of agriculture as a source of livelihood.
- Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) – She analyzed the country’s research-extension-development (RED) structure, institutional governance, and gaps in multi-actor collaboration.
- Society 5.0-Enabled Agriculture – Dr. Euriga explained the human-centered, tech-driven vision of Society 5.0 and its influence on future innovation and extension approaches.
- Agriculture 5.0 in Indonesia – While innovation is emerging, challenges persist, including digital infrastructure, skills gaps, and adoption inequality across regions.
- Graduate Competencies – She stressed the need for digital literacy, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary problem-solving among future agricultural professionals.
- Responsive Innovation – She recommended participatory, inclusive innovation models, community co-creation, and greater policy coherence to support transformation.
Session 1: Agricultural Policy & Structural Challenges
Led by Asst. Prof. Geny Lapiña (University of the Philippines Los Baños) led this session, which examined the role of agriculture in providing food, feed, fiber, and fuel within the broader development agenda. He introduced a macro policy perspective, stressing:
- The structural transformation underway in Southeast Asia and its painful trade-offs for smallholder farmers.
- The need for integrated supply-side and demand-side policy standards.
- Recognition of hidden food costs—from health risks and environmental degradation to social externalities.
He concluded by advocating for political will, inclusive governance, and economic strategies that protect farm households during periods of transition.
Session 2: Understanding and Strengthening AIS
Dr. Rasheed Sulaiman V, Director of CRISP (India), delivered a thought-provoking session on emerging frameworks and performance metrics for Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS). Key points included:
- AIS involves interconnected actors, institutions, and enabling policies.
- Institutions and policies shape governance, collaboration, and the nature of policy engagement.
- Beyond technical expertise, countries must develop functional capacities at the individual, organizational, and systemic levels to drive innovation.
Participants were encouraged to look beyond traditional research and extension models and view AIS as a dynamic and evolving system influenced by context, power dynamics, and policy environments.
🔍 Afternoon Workshop: Barriers and Drivers of Change in AIS
Facilitated by Dr. Virginia Cardenas and the SEARCA team, participants engaged in a group analysis exercise to identify key barriers, facilitators, and drivers of change within their national AIS.
RASSEA in the Regional AIS Conversation
Dr. Euriga’s Day 1 contribution showcased how Indonesian institutions are embracing innovation while navigating structural challenges. Her insights reinforced RASSEA’s mission to foster inclusive, scalable, and context-sensitive rural advisory systems in Southeast Asia.
“This workshop is not only a learning space but a movement towards integrated, functional innovation systems that respond to people’s real needs,” said Dr. Euriga.
