BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
LOS BAÑOS, Laguna (September 14)—An annual Southeast Asia-wide competition launched by Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) for photography enthusiasts has set a November 30 deadline for submission of entries that focuses on emerging agricultural innovations for the next generation.
Searca Director Glenn Gregorio said that for its 16th year, the annual photo contest launched by Searca is themed “Emerging Agricultural Innovations for the Next Generation.”
The Searca Photo Contest 2022 is open to Filipinos and nationals of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
Gregorio said Searca is in search of images that show technologies and innovation that are modernizing and transforming agriculture and rural development towards increased food supply and security.
“The intensifying effects of climate change that threaten sustainable food systems, the persisting Covid-19 pandemic, and the impact of the war in Ukraine on the economy around the world bring into sharp focus the need for emerging technologies and innovations that can transform agricultural production and ensure food security for the next generation,” Gregorio said.
Entries to the competition can also be pictures that feature farmers and farming families, researchers, inventors, students, and the youth using technologies and innovations in the field as part of agricultural production and experimentation.
Searca said images that show agricultural inventions or new, innovative ways of doing agriculture that increase productivity, yield, or income for farmers and farming families in crop cultivation, livestock or fisheries settings are also welcome.
Leah Lyn Domingo, Searca public relations specialist and Partnerships Unit officer in charge explained that agricultural innovations or technologies depicted in the photo entries may also be those developed by local communities or the youth using indigenous materials or tribal knowledge.
The entries may also be products and services that bring positive impact or change to farmers and farming communities, including images that capture climate-smart or environment-friendly innovations and technologies that make agriculture more sustainable and resilient against typhoons, floods, pests and diseases.
She said photography enthusiasts are required to submit original photographs and should not have previously won in any past photo competition, have not been published elsewhere (print or electronic), and have not been digitally altered or enhanced.
Winners of the first, second, and third prizes will receive cash prizes of $1,000, $800 and $500. Each of the Searca Director’s Choice and Philippine Department of Education Secretary’s Choice winners will get $500. The winner of the People’s Choice Award via Facebook votation will receive $400.
Domingo said two categories of winners added in this 16th-year edition of the Searca Photo Contest are the Best Agricultural Innovation or Technology and Best Youth Photographer for the prize of $300 each.
She said the contest is open to both professional and amateur photographers who may submit an unlimited number of photo entries as long as they meet the photo contest specifications.
All entries must be submitted to Searca online via https://photocontest.searca.org.