SEARCA video contest promotes Filipino, other SEA youth actions in food consumption, waste mgt

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is looking for short videos on “Youth in Sustainable Food Consumption and Waste Management” by young Filipinos and other Southeast Asians.

The video entries may reveal personal experiences, practices, or advocacy that showcase how young people contribute to sustainable food consumption and food waste management.

Branded as the SEARCA Youth COVIDeo Contest, the competition aims to spotlight healthy diets, responsible food choices, and proper disposal or use of food waste, particularly during the pandemic.

The contest is open to citizens of the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam ages 15-35.

Why a focus on the youth? According to SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, “there is merit in mobilizing the youth as consumers of food and potential innovators to transform food systems.”

Dr. Gregorio, a United Nations (UN) Food Systems Champion, said the 2021 edition of the SEARCA Youth COVIDeo Contest resonates with the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit global actions to transform food systems, including how food is produced, consumed, and disposed.

He explained that the contest will take stock of youth solutions and actions on sustainable food consumption and food waste management, and how it is linked to a sustainable agri-food system.

Now on its second year, the Youth COVIDeo Contest is an initiative of SEARCA’s Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation (#Y4AGRI).

Dr. Gregorio said the first prize is US$500, while the second and third prizes are US$350 and US$150, respectively. He added that US$100 awaits the winner of the People’s Choice Award.

The deadline of submission of entries is September 30, 2021.