SEAMEO BIOTROP proudly announced the winners of the Sustainability in Waste Awareness and Responsible Action (SWARA) Awards 2025, a regional competition that celebrates innovation, sustainability, and creativity in reducing food waste across Southeast Asia. This year’s competition attracted 104 submissions from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, reflecting strong regional commitment to advancing food-waste management and circular economy practices.

After a rigorous two-stage evaluation process—consisting of an initial screening and final presentations before the judging panel—the top winners were selected based on innovation, environmental and social impact, scalability, and documentation quality. The final judging took place in hybrid format on 29 October 2025, both onsite at SEAMEO BIOTROP Bogor and online, where twelve finalists presented their projects to a distinguished panel of judges comprising Dr. Elis Rosdiawati, Dr. Doni Yusri, Prof. Dato’ Dr. Amirul Al-Ashraf Abdullah, Sopriatin from Bappenas, and Jimi Hantu.

The Best Practice Award was presented to SWAM (School of Waste Management), Indonesia, for its SABDO Method: A Communal Scale Bioconversion of Food and Organic Wastes to Produce Standard Compost. The method introduces a fast and fuel-free process to convert food waste into compost and animal feed, addressing odor, leachate, and sanitation challenges effectively.

The Best Proposal Award was given to Balqis Soeharso, Indonesia, for Food Waste Heroes: Asta Cita in Action – “From Plate to Plant”. This project engages students in waste separation and composting, transforming food scraps into organic fertilizer for school gardens, thereby completing a sustainable “plate-to-plant-to-plate” cycle.

The Favorite Award went to Eksa Rusdiyana, Indonesia, for Karangturi Berseri, a community-based initiative that empowers residents to turn waste challenges into opportunities through education and innovation.

The Special Prize was awarded to Dr. Sirhajwan Idek, Malaysia, for Upcycled Food Waste Social Entrepreneurship, a vocational training program that transforms food waste into eco-friendly, marketable products while fostering environmental entrepreneurship.

Winners received cash prizes of USD 750 for Best Practice, USD 250 for Best Proposal, and USD 150 each for the Favorite and Consolation categories. The judging decisions were made transparently and fairly to recognize the exceptional quality and diversity of ideas presented.

Launched on 10 July 2025 under the theme “Food-Waste Education and Awareness for Sustainable Transformation”, the SWARA Awards align with SEAMEO BIOTROP’s 11th Five-Year Development Plan, particularly Programs 3 and 8 on Sustainable Ecosystem Management and Institutional and Community Engagement. Following the awards, winners will receive mentorship, feature in the SWARA Best Practices e-Book and podcast series, and exhibit their work during the SEAMEO BIOTROP Outlook Event on 2 December 2025.

Through SWARA, SEAMEO BIOTROP continues to strengthen regional collaboration and inspire practical, innovative solutions for sustainable food systems and environmental stewardship in Southeast Asia.