Socio-Economics Research and Data Analytics Laboratory
Socio-Economics Research and Data Analytics Laboratory
SERDAL stands for Socio-Economics Research and Data Analytics Laboratory (SERDAL): Commodity-Specific Data Analytics and Capacity Building Support to Socio-Economics Research and Development. It is a 2-year project funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) and implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños through the College of Economics and Management (CEM) – Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics (DAAE). SERDAL complements the regional socioeconomics research and data analytics center (SERDAC) initiative of PCAARRD in each of the three major island groups that are hosted by Central Luzon State University (SERDAC-Luzon), Visayas State University (Vi-SERDAC), and University of Southeastern Philippines (SERDAC-Min). This is to strengthen the institutional research capability of the R&D network in the field of socio-economics.

The Laboratory is a common-service facility where researchers can access licensed statistical software, results of previous researches, and technical assistance on socio-economics research. It also serves as repository of data/information generated from socio-economics research. The Laboratory conducts capability-building activities through hands-on trainings and application of data analytics in addressing policy and research issues involving a number of commodities as well. These include corn, livestock (swine), rice, milkfish, bamboo, seaweed, and garlic. It maintains an online database accessible at https://serdal.uplb.edu.ph

The main goal of SERDAL is to enhance the capacity in socio-economics research in the country and tap the potential of the socio-economic research sector in providing technical assistance to other research sectors (e.g., crops, livestock, forestry, and fishery). Specifically, its objectives are to: provide commodity-specific data analytics; enhance socio-economic researchers’ access to licensed software and relevant journals; provide facilities and equipment for the conduct of socio-economic research; provide trainings on advanced research methodologies for socio-economic researchers and trainers of the regional SERDACs; provide socio-economic technical assistance to the other R&D sectors; provide assistance to PCAARRD on capacity building-related initiatives; and serve as repository/curator of socioeconomic and demographic data in the UPLB.

CEM-UPLB is the country’s premier state university in AANR-related socio-economics education and research. The University is home to Centers of Excellence (COEs) which continuously demonstrate excellent performance in the areas of instruction, research and publication, extension and linkages, and institutional qualifications. Its status as a COE in many fields of natural science underscores the myriad of researches undertaken in these fields, which can be enhanced with socio-economic analysis. Mainstreaming socio-economics research in these fields supports the thrust of UPLB in undertaking interdisciplinary research.