THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has launched a video contest to showcase local food production practices by young people during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
The competition dubbed “Youth Covideo Contest” is open to Filipinos and other Southeast Asians 15 to 35 years old in group or individual entries.
Aiming at encouraging the youth to pursue agriculture and related fields, and agribusiness, the contest was launched under SEARCA’s Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation or #Y4AGRI program.
SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio said #Y4AGRI is a platform for young people to be heard, engaged and be partners in generating and attaining better, bigger and smarter solutions for farmers and farming families.
Themed “Youth and Locally Grown Food,” the contest will award entries that best tell stories of how and why young people grow their food at home, in school or in the community amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The stories may also be about practical tips on growing vegetables, composting, harvesting or any process for locally growing food, and may also be about the youth’s experience on the benefits of locally- grown food to their health, family and community.
The video can be in English or local language but with English subtitles. The entries may be in vlog, music video, documentary or animation format with a duration of one to three minutes.
Cash prizes await the top three winners and a tablet will be awarded to the video entry that garners the most likes on Facebook.
The deadline for submission of entries is September 11, 2020 and those interested to join can check the full mechanics of the contest on the SEARCA website
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 to elevate the quality of life of agricultural families through sustainable livelihoods and access to modern networks and innovative markets.
SEARCA serves the 11 Southeast Asian countries, namely: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.