Cambodian photographers, both amateurs and professionals across all ages, have until Nov. 30, 2019 to beat the submission deadline for the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Photo Contest 2019, said the centre in a press release.
The photo contest is open to all nationals of Cambodia, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam, it pointed out.
With the theme "Cultivating Southeast Asia's Youth Agripreneurs," this year's SEARCA Photo Contest zooms in on vibrant images that depict enterprising and innovative youth in Southeast Asia who are actively engaged in agriculture now and in the future, it added.
SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio said agricultural entrepreneurs or "agripreneurs" are people who combine business opportunities with agriculture and create their own business to generate income and employment.
The contest will award entries that best capture innovative farming, agricultural entrepreneurship, maximising information and communications technology (ICT), and the agriculture-education link.
The intent is to highlight the potential of the youth in transforming the Southeast Asian agriculture landscape and inspire enthusiasm among the young to be involved in agriculture.
"Because the youth is the future engagement of any given country, they should be invested in, properly guided and directed, so they will become good leaders and the catalyst for economic, social, and cultural development," Dr. Gregorio said.
He added that "SEARCA wants young Southeast Asians to see the agriculture sector as an attractive business proposition that will earn a decent living, allow them to stay with their families, and one that will create a vibrant economy in their communities."
According to the press release, only original color photos will be considered. Five photographs will be selected. The first place winner will receive US$1,000. Winners of the second and third places will get US$800 and US$500, respectively, while a People's Choice award will receive US$200. There will also be special prizes for the Philippine Education Secretary's Choice and the SEARCA Director's Choice.
All entries must be submitted online at https://photocontest.searca.org until Nov. 30, 2019.
Each contestant may submit multiple entries, provided that these have not been submitted to previous photo contests or published elsewhere.