LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — The work that follows the cut of the blade, the pull of the net, and the gathering of grain moved to the center of the frame in the 19th Searca Photo Contest.
Anchored on the theme “Beyond the Harvest: People and Processes in the Agriculture Value Chain,” the photo contest of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) asked photographers across Southeast Asia to document what happens after crops and fish leave the field and water.
Launched in September 2025, the annual competition invited entries showing the people, practices, and enterprises that sustain the agriculture value chain beyond production.
Organizers sought images of postharvest handling, food processing, transport, markets, trade, entrepreneurship, and consumer connections. The theme described these activities as the “hidden heartbeat” of agriculture — the labor that moves, transforms, preserves, and links harvests to communities.
Entries were judged on relevance to the theme, technical quality, and impact. The process included initial screening by the contest secretariat, shortlisting by selected Searca staff and scholars, and final judging by external experts who selected the top three winners. The Searca director also chose one special award from among the finalists.
First prize went to Tran Van Tuy of Vietnam for a photograph of fishers gathered around a basket boat filled with freshly caught fish. The image captures the movement of produce from aquatic livelihoods to the next steps in the food chain, showing the energy and cooperation among workers handling the catch.
Emman Foronda of the Philippines won second prize and $800 for a composition of freshly caught fish being sundried on bamboo racks. The photograph highlights postharvest care and traditional processes used to preserve agricultural and fishery products for consumption and trade.
Third prize was awarded to Wilfredo Lomibao of the Philippines for an image of a worker amid billowing steam in one of the largest salt refineries in Pangasinan. The photograph shows the labor and skill required to transform raw harvests into value-added products.
The Searca Center Director’s Choice was given to Si Thu Ye Myint of Myanmar for a scene of women gathered in a traditional kitchen, working together for their village’s sustenance. The photograph reflects human connections, local knowledge, and household-level work that form part of agriculture’s larger value chain.
Cash prizes for the 2025 competition are $1,000 for first prize, $800 for second prize, and $500 each for third prize and the Center Director’s Choice award.
The Searca Photo Contest is held every year to raise awareness about issues and advancements in agriculture and rural development throughout Southeast Asia.
Over the years, this competition has collected images that capture food production, livelihoods, communities, technologies, and the evolving realities of the agricultural sector in the region.
The 2025 winning photographs highlight the journey of food after harvest, illustrating the various hands it passes through — from fishers and processors to traders, families, and consumers.
These images capture often-overlooked work in settings such as boats, drying racks, refineries, and kitchens, where harvests are preserved, transformed, and ultimately served at tables across Southeast Asia.