SEARCA 19th Photo Contest spotlights journeys of food from harvest to plate

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is calling on photographers, students, hobbyists, agripreneurs, and storytellers across Southeast Asia to join the 19th SEARCA Photo Contest. This year’s theme, “Beyond the Harvest: People and Processes in the Agriculture Value Chain,” invites images that reveal the often-unseen steps that bring food from farms and seas to our tables.

SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla said, “The contest looks for powerful, human-centered stories showing life after harvest—how crops are cleaned and sorted, how food is processed and packaged, how goods travel by road and water to markets, how vendors and cooperatives trade and sell, and how digital tools help small businesses reach customers.”

“Photos may also capture the pride of families enjoying safe, good-quality food, highlighting how every link in the chain matters,” she added.

The competition is open to all Southeast Asian nationals, with the exception of SEARCA staff and their immediate family members. Participants may submit more than one entry, provided each photo follows the guidelines. SEARCA encourages high-resolution color images with accurate captions that include the location and complete date the photo was taken.

Submissions will be screened for eligibility and shortlisted by a SEARCA committee. A panel of external experts will then select the winners based on relevance to the theme, technical quality, and overall impact. A special SEARCA Center Director’s Choice will also be named.

Winners will receive USD 1,000 for first prize, USD 800 for second prize, USD 600 for third prize, and USD 500 for the Director’s Choice, along with certificates. Selected photographs will be featured on SEARCA’s platforms and in exhibitions.

“Help complete the story of agriculture in Southeast Asia by showing the hands, ideas, and journeys that keep our food systems moving,” Dr. Sombilla urged.

Entries will be accepted until 30 November 2025 at 11:59 PM (Philippine time) through photocontest.searca.org/2025.