THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) recently brought the "Sowing Seeds: Cultivating Youth's Future in Agriculture" program to Thailand in partnership with the Kasetsart University Faculty of Agriculture (KUFA) and Patumwan Demonstration School (PDS).
According to SEARCA director Glenn Gregorio, PhD, the program led by the center's Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation (#Y4AGRI) "introduces young people to the diverse and exciting career opportunities available in the agriculture sector."
Held at the PDS in Bangkok, the inaugural offering of "Sowing Seeds" was participated by 20 high school students with Sirichan Daomanee, PDS English Program for Talented Students manager, and Buncha Chinnasri, PhD, of KUFA helping SEARCA organize the event.
During the event, Gregorio emphasized the vast array of career paths available in agriculture, highlighting the essential role of carbon neutrality in building a sustainable future.
He said a career in agriculture extends far beyond working on a farm, encompassing a wide range of professions from various backgrounds where individuals can contribute to the fight against climate change and help drive a carbon-neutral world.
"Achieving carbon neutrality is not just a goal for large corporations or scientists. It's a challenge for all of us, and agriculture offers innovative ways to make this a reality," he remarked.
"Sowing Seeds" resource person Phonlapat Amornrattanake, a young Thai professional working to capacitate farmers and other agriculture stakeholders through the Thailand Regional Agriculture Innovation Network (RAIN), reinforced the message of the SEARCA director.
RAIN is a project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture or USDA and implemented by Winrock International which is SEARCA's partner of Winrock in the Thailand RAIN project.
Gregorio said the first SEARCA careers in agriculture orientation in Thailand focused on agricultural technology, innovation and agribusiness.
Also a business development specialist in agriculture technology at the Thailand RAIN project, Amornrattanake delivered a presentation that highlighted how technology is transforming agriculture, which included a speed brainstorming activity to challenge students' perceptions of agriculture.
Meanwhile, Sharon Malaiba, lead of SEARCA unit head for partnerships and #YAGRI, said "Sowing Seeds" is just one of many initiatives that the center has developed to promote youth engagement in agriculture.
"It will be offered across Southeast Asia and has so far been conducted in the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand," Malaiba said.
On the other hand, Loise Ann Carandang, SEARCA senior associate for communications and #Y4AGRI Youth co-lead, also informed the senior high schoolers about #Y4AGRI's initiatives and SEARCA's scholarship opportunities for agricultural students.
Gregorio explained that #Y4AGRI is a SEARCA initiative designed to engage young people in Southeast Asia and empower them to become future leaders in the agriculture sector.
"The program offers a variety of activities and resources to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and networks they need to succeed in agriculture," he said.
"With the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization or SEAMEO as its mother organization, SEARCA is committed to working with young people in Southeast Asia," Gregorio added.