To enhance youth awareness and interest in agriculture and related sciences, three institutions join hands to educate high school students through Rice Camp 2007 held on April 23-28, 2007 in Los Baños, Laguna.

About 20 students from the Philippines and Thailand are participating in this year's camp. Bearing the theme, "Rice has a future!", the Rice Camp 2007 is sponsored by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in partnership with the Asia Rice Foundation and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). This is the second rice camp conducted in the Philippines.

PhilRice selected the Filipino delegates based on recommendations from the students' respective schools based on the students' essays about their experience and perception (present and future) on rice farming. This year, PhilRice chose delegates from agriculture and science-based schools in Nueva Ecija, and hopes to expand the search to other schools in the country.

Rice Camp is a one-week training and exposure experience for the youth about the basics of agriculture. It is a venue to inspire among the youth the love for rice science and show them new frontiers they can explore in the future.

The camp employs the 'learning-by-doing' approach and first-hand experience on discussion topics in the classroom. They will have the chance to drive a tractor, soak their feet in the paddy, collect insects, know the different varieties of rice, and many more.

Through the camp, the participants can gain awareness on rice research. The sponsors further hope that the camp experience will appeal to the interest of the youth sector to study courses in agriculture science and become future rice scientists.

Before attending the camp, PhilRice conducted a half-day orientation program for the Filipino delegates. They were briefed on the basic rice facts and figures in the Philippines and given Rice Science & Technology updates on rice production.