The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is looking for short videos on “Youth in Sustainable Food Consumption and Waste Management” by young Filipinos and other Southeast Asians.
The video entries may reveal personal experiences, practices, or advocacy that showcase how young people contribute to sustainable food consumption and food waste management.
Branded as the SEARCA Youth COVIDeo Contest, the competition aims to spotlight healthy diets, responsible food choices, and proper disposal or use of food waste, particularly during the pandemic.
The contest is open to citizens of the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam ages 15-35.
Why a focus on the youth? According to SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, “there is merit in mobilizing the youth as consumers of food and potential innovators to transform food systems.”
Dr. Gregorio, a United Nations (UN) Food Systems Champion, said the 2021 edition of the SEARCA Youth COVIDeo Contest resonates with the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit global actions to transform food systems, including how food is produced, consumed, and disposed.
He explained that the contest will take stock of youth solutions and actions on sustainable food consumption and food waste management, and how it is linked to a sustainable agri-food system.
Now on its second year, the Youth COVIDeo Contest is an initiative of SEARCA’s Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation (#Y4AGRI).
Dr. Gregorio said the first prize is US$500, while the second and third prizes are US$350 and US$150, respectively. He added that US$100 awaits the winner of the People’s Choice Award.
The deadline of submission of entries is September 30, 2021.
About SEARCA
Since its establishment in 1966, SEARCA’s main mandate has been to build capacities in agricultural and rural development in Southeast Asia. From 2020 to 2025, SEARCA’s programs are geared towards accelerating transformation through agricultural innovation (ATTAIN) to elevate the quality of life of agricultural families through sustainable livelihoods and access to modern networks and innovative markets. SEARCA’s five-year development strategy is articulated through its core programs on Education and Collective Learning via Graduate Scholarship and Institutional Development and Training for Development, Research and Thought Leadership, and Emerging Innovation for Growth. SEARCA serves the 11 Southeast Asian countries, namely: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. It is hosted by the Philippine government and its headquarters is located on the campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).
