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Indonesian, Filipino, Thai, and Myanmar photographers win 2015 SEARCA Photo Contest

  • 18 January 2016

indonesian filipino thai and myanmar photographers win 2015 searca photo contest

SEARCA has announced the winners of the 2015 photo contest with the theme From Farm to Plate: Smallholders' Participation in Inclusive Value Chains. The contest, which ran from 15 September to 30 November 2015, received more than 1400 entries submitted by 392 photographers from all 10 countries in Southeast Asia—Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam. SEARCA Photo Contest 2015 awarded entries that best captured how smallholders participate in the value chains (production, aggregation, processing, and distribution) of fresh produce (crop and livestock), commodities, and handicrafts as a means of promoting agricultural and rural development.

Mr. Yusuf Ahmad of Makassar City, South Sulawesi, Indonesia won first place for his photograph depicting a child helping farmers process cocoa in Bantaeng, South Sulawesi Province. The photograph’s caption highlighted how cocoa farmers have successfully combatted cocoa pests, which have lowered yields in the last 10 years, by grafting.

Second place was won by a photograph showing a fisherman delivering his freshly caught fish straight to a family’s door in Dampalit, Malabon by Arturo B. De Vera Jr. of Caloocan City, Philippines.

A photograph showing a woman from the Palong tribe harvesting strawberries in the Royal Agricultural Station Angkhang in Chiangmai Province, by Hansa Tangmanpoowadol of Bangkok, Thailand, won third place.

The People’s Choice Award, chosen by more than 6,600 people via Facebook voting, was won by Zay Yar Lin of Myanmar for his photograph depicting an old potter passing on pots to a young girl in Twantae, Irrawaddy Division.

The winners will receive cash prizes of USD 800, 500, 300, and 200. The winning photographs and finalists are showcased in a photo gallery on the SEARCA website at http://searca.org/photocontest/.

FIRST PLACE: Yusuf Ahmad (South Sulawesi, Indonesia) [br] A child with farmers processing cocoa after harvest in Bantaeng, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. Pests that attack cocoa trees have lowered yields in the last 10 years in Indonesia, but in the last three years, farmer in Bantaeng have successfully combatted the pests by grafting.

SECOND PLACE: Arturo B. De Vera Jr. (Caloocan City, Philippines) [br] Many of the fishermen from the Philippines (Dampalit, Malabon) deliver their catch to their customers as fresh as they are caught so Filipinos can assure the freshness of the fish they are serving their families.

THIRD PLACE: Hansa Tangmanpoowadol (Bangkok, Thailand) [br] Palong is an indigenous tribe supported by the Royal Project Foundation and other government offices through the Royal Agricultural Station Angkhang in Chiangmai Province, which have developed and improved their livelihoods. Important activities in the Royal Agricultural Station Angkhang include the development of water resources; planting plantation crops; growing temperate fruits, vegetables, cut-flowers, tea, and strawberry; reforestation; and promoting social awareness in conserving the natural environment.

PEOPLE'S CHOICE: Zay Yar Lin (Yangon, Myanmar) [br] Preparing to bake pots in Twantae, Irrawaddy Division.