The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) continues to sow seeds of inspiration among young students through its Youth in Agri Talk Show, which aired its third episode titled "Growing the Future: The Power of School and Home Gardens," on 30 March 2025 at 7:00 p.m. (GMT +8:00) on SEARCA's Facebook page.
Garnering 385,000 views within its first month of airing—three times more than the views of the previous episode —the episode highlighted the transformative role of gardening in youth development. It featured the Philippine Department Education's (DepEd) Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP), which urges Philippine public elementary and secondary schools to establish school gardens to ensure the continuous supply of vegetables for school feeding, and SEARCA's complementary School-Plus Home Gardens Project (S+HGP) aimed at improving students' nutrition, education, and economic well-being. Guest expert Dr. Dexter Galban, DepEd Assistant Secretary for Operations, responded to interesting questions about gardening from young students in Cambodia, the Philippines, and Thailand. The students asked about the best crops for beginner gardeners, why some vegetables have flowers and some do not, how to encourage their parents to help them start a garden at home, how having a garden helps families save money on groceries, and how to incorporate animals into a school garden. Dr. Galban provided insightful answers to these questions, helping the students better understand and appreciate gardening.
Ms. Michelle Samia, a teacher from SEARCA's partner school, Labuin Elementary School in Laguna, Philippines, was asked how being on the show affected her students. She happily shared that it encouraged the students to be more involved in school gardening. She said the episode renewed the students' motivation to learn practical gardening skills and appreciate growing their food sustainably.
"It is important for the youth to be exposed to agri-related topics because it helps them understand the source of their food and builds essential skills in food production. It also promotes sustainable living and environmental stewardship," Ms. Samia remarked.
She also underscored the significance of introducing students to agriculture early on to stir their interest in agricultural careers, encourage healthier eating habits, and enhance food security and nutrition.
The SEARCA Youth in Agri Talk Show is a non-academic and nonconventional approach to learning to promote agriculture and its importance to Southeast Asian youth, particularly those in basic education.
The latest episode was hosted by SEARCA youth ambassadors Ms. Zara Mae Estareja, Senior Associate for Public Relations, and Mr. Kim Louisse Patagnan, Program Associate from the Research and Thought Leadership Department.
Did you miss the episode? You can watch it here: https://bit.ly/searca-youth-agri-talk-show-ep3
