Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)'s Youth in Agri Talk Show is returning for its second episode on 16 February 2024 at 7:00 p.m. (GMT +8:00) on the Center's Facebook page.
The episode titled "Winged Warriors: The Unsung Heroes of Agri-Land" will dive into the fascinating world of insects and explore their crucial role in agriculture and the ecosystem. Dr. Nur Azura Adam, SEARCA deputy director for programs and an entomologist, will be featured as guest expert.
Dr. Nur highlighted the importance of educating young people on the contributions of insects to agriculture and the ecosystem. "There is a misconception that most insects are pests," Dr. Nur remarked.
"Only 5 percent of them are harmful to the ecosystem. The majority of insects are beneficial to agriculture and play a significant role in regulating and balancing the ecosystem," she pointed out.
Students from HFSE International School based in Singapore, SMK Seri Jempol based in Malaysia, and Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba based in the Philippines will participate during the episode. They will have an opportunity to pose their agriculture and insect-related questions directly to Dr. Nur.
"Since the SEARCA Youth in Agri Talk Show is a non-academic and nonconventional approach to learning, it provides a more relaxed platform where students can ask what's lingering in their minds and engage with agriculture experts," Dr. Nur said.
The SEARCA Youth in Agri Talk Show aims to promote agriculture and its importance to Southeast Asian youth, particularly those in basic education.
The Center aired the talk show's first episode titled "Agri 101 for the Youth" on 26 May 2023 via Facebook with Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA Center director, as the guest. It was a huge success, garnering more than 47,000 views. It featured two Philippine basic education schools, Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba and Dagatan Family Farm School.
Watch the SEARCA Youth in Agri Talk Show Episode 2 trailer here: https://bit.ly/3HWmzkt