Youth Voices for a Food-Secure Future:
Perspectives from Southeast Asia
The World Food Day 2022 calls on to build a sustainable world where everyone, everywhere has access to nutritious food. With the challenges that we are facing today—an ongoing pandemic that restricts movement not only of people but also resources; international conflict and tension that affects food supply; rising food prices that curbs access to healthy and nutritious food; and a rapidly changing climate that affects food production—the youth play an important role in advocating for a sustainable food system while navigating a fast-changing world with disruptions.
This year, SEARCA's Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation (#Y4AGRI), through the cohort of the SEARCA Youth Ambassadors Platform (SAYAP), brings the Southeast Asian Youth Fest (SYF) to gather stakeholders, especially young people, from across Southeast Asia to tackle the state and directions of food security in the region. The event aligns to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), particularly on goal numbers 2, 9, 12, 13, and 17.
Taking off from this year's International Youth Day theme, "Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages," #Y4AGRI designed SYF to be intergenerational. It begins with a Regional Youth Forum (virtual and open to the public) hosted under the SEARCA Online Learning and Virtual Engagements (SOLVE) platform to initiate discussion between the 'youth' and with the 'once youth'. The second part features a Southeast Asian food exhibition (onsite and by-invitation) to further promote awareness and appreciation of food—the way we produce, prepare, and consume it. Young SEARCA scholars and youth partners will be engaged in this learning event.
Objectives
SYF aims to highlight the importance of and opportunities for youth engagement in promoting sustainable food systems in Southeast Asia, specifically for the audience to:
Understand the state of food security in the Southeast Asian region and beyond;
Foster diverse youth voices on food security issues and solutions to counter food system disruptions; and
Promote awareness and appreciation of food and nutrition security.
Program
Part A. Regional Youth Forum
| Opening Activities | |
| Welcome Remarks | Prof. Joselito Florendo |
|---|---|
| Keynote Addresses 8:45–9:45 a.m. | Dr. Chew Fook Tim Prof. Dr. Khin Mar Cho |
| Youth Voices 9:45–10:45 a.m. | Parallel Session A. Multistakeholder partnership and sustainable investment in food systems.
Parallel Session B. Rediscovering SEA food culture and understanding the changing food landscape, and its effects on food security.
Parallel Session C. Securing a nutrition-conscious young generation by promoting healthy diets in schools.
Parallel Session D. Innovation opportunities to counter food and agriculture sector disruptions.
|
| Resumption of Plenary 10:45–11:25 a.m. | Presentation of breakout groups |
| Youth Stories: Amplifying Voices of Youth Agripreneurs 11:25–11:30 a.m. | Launch of the 2022 SEARCA Youth Video Contest (AVP) |
| Youth Action and Closing 11:30–11:45 a.m. | Mr. Sonny Pasiona Youth Lead, SEARCA |
| Moderator: Ms. Jean Rebecca Labios Representative, SEARCA Youth Ambassadors Platform | |
Part B. Food Exhibition
Participants (by-invitation only) – University students from selected public and private colleges/universities in the province of Laguna
| Registration and Issuance of Exhibition Passports | |
| Introduction and Welcome Remarks | Mr. Jerome Cayton Barradas Representative, SEARCA Youth Ambassadors Platform |
|---|---|
| Food and Nutrition Lectures | Just Like Magic – Together with Kids Who Farm, participants will be introduced to alternative ways of producing food, particularly through hydroponics, container gardening, etc. Food For Tummy and Thought – Taking off from the previous presentation, partners from the Philippine Association of Nutrition – Alpha Omega Chapter and the Institute of Human Nutrition and Food (IHNF) of UPLB will present the importance of being mindful of healthy diets and share essential practices and tips as well in preparing healthful food especially for young students. |
| Seeing SEA Food | After the presentations, participants will have a chance to see, smell, and taste different healthy snacks from six Southeast Asian (SEA) countries prepared by SEARCA scholars. Each booth will feature the following country: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, and Timor-Leste. Participants will have to fill-in their passport by "seeing" each booth and literally having a taste of "SEA food." |
| Demo and Tour | Aside from the booths, participants will also include a hands-on demo with Kids Who Farm and a tour of the SEARCA Hub for Agriculture and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING). |
| The Cook-it Challenge | Selected participants from participating colleges/universities will be engaged in a battle of culinary skills. Given a standard set of ingredients, they will have to prepare a healthy nutritious snack within a limited time. |
| Awarding of Certificates to Winners and Partners | Prof. Joselito Florendo |
| Closing Message | Ms. Sharon Malaiba Head, Partnerships Unit, SEARCA |