Amplifying Voices of Youth Agripreneurs

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, SEARCA, through its banner youth engagement initiative, Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation (#Y4AGRI), launched the Youth COVIDeo Contest to showcase young people's contribution to local food production, may it be in their homes, schools, or the community. The first two runs of the video contest reflected youth actions in growing food to sustain their families' basic food needs and alleviate economic challenges caused by the pandemic, and youth stories and advocacies focused on sustainable food consumption and food waste management. In its third year, the video contest rebrands to SEARCA Youth Stories Competition to welcome a new variety of agriculture-related themes wherein the Southeast Asian youth contribute significantly. SEARCA Youth Stories Competition aims to realize the challenges and adversities that the youth in agriculture experienced or are experiencing and gather their solutions and actions. This video contest serves as an avenue for the youth in agriculture to speak their minds, tell their stories, and be heard.

This year's theme, Amplifying Voices of Youth Agripreneurs, aims to highlight the potential of youth in debunking the connotation that agriculture is confined to planting crops under the sun's blazing heat, by positioning it as an enjoyable activity, an advocacy, and/or a viable career option. The video entries feature success stories of youth who delved into agricultural or social entrepreneurship, not only focusing on agricultural production but on other ventures along the value chain. Agriculture holds an attractive business proposition for young people by not only allowing them to earn a decent living and provide for their families and communities but also ensuring food security and vibrant rural economies for future generations (IFAD 2017).