Agroecology examples and evidence from ASEAN countries

The practice of conservation agriculture has taken off in Cambodia since it was first introduced a decade ago[1]. Thousands of farmers are seeing production increases, savings on fertilizer costs, and fewer pest problems because of improvements in soil health[2]. There is strong support from the Ministry of Agriculture, universities and the private sector, all of whom are providing services to producers in support of conservation agriculture[3].  The Cambodia Conservation Agriculture Sustainable Intensification Consortium (CASIC) is now a regional leader in this field, hosting conferences attended by government representatives, development agencies, researchers and companies from across ASEAN and farther afield.[4]  

The ASEAN State of Climate Change Report (2021) notes that the region is highly vulnerable to climate  impacts and the Philippines ranks first in terms of populations affected by natural hazards.[7] The agriculture sector in the Philippines is especially vulnerable[8] but as reported in the national press “‘Agroecology’ helps farmers cushion climate impact”.[9] Across the country, hundreds of farmer organizations have supported their members in applying resilient practices – both traditional and modern – such as seed saving, crop rotations, production of animal feeds, social entrepreneurship, and collaboration with Local Government Units.[10]  As home to the Asian Farmers Association, a network of farmer organizations in 17 countries, the Philippines is playing a key role in sharing agroecological approaches to climate resilient farming.[11]

In 2021, agroecology was given an important role in the Indonesian National Pathway for Food Systems Transformation, complementing other objectives established by the Government, notably the promotion of dietary diversity and maintenance of local knowledge about food resources.[13] The role of agroecology in improving nutrition through greater dietary diversity is well-established.[14] Research in Indonesia has highlighted the key role played by women in this area[15], who can now combine traditional knowledge with new technology such as e-commerce to sustain local food systems.

For centuries, the people of Laos have supplemented their diet with a wide range of products gathered from forests. In recent decades, there have been several success stories in the commercialization of naturally occurring forest products such as bamboo[16] and wild tea.[17] Coffee is not indigenous to Laos, but when planted in natural forest it has produced high quality (‘specialty’) beans that are now winning prizes and being exported to Europe, the USA, Japan and China.[18]  The potential for agroforestry coffee was highlighted in State and Outlook of Agroforestry in ASEAN (2021).[19]

Palm oil and rubber plantations are major contributors to the Malaysian economy, but as monocultures they are vulnerable to pests and diseases[20]. Agroecological practices such as integrated pest management (IPM) have shown great promise in reducing pest problems and provide crucial criteria for sustainability certification schemes that contribute to export revenue.[21] Malaysian scientists are also working on ways to restore biodiversity in plantations[22] which is expected to have positive impacts on nutrient, water and carbon cycles, as well as boost microorganisms and pollinators, all of which will contribute to sustainability. [23]

The production and sale of organic produce has continued in Myanmar, despite the departure of many international donors and NGOs in recent years, demonstrating local and national commitment to the provision of healthy food.  Different value chains are in operation including commercial enterprises[24], farmer markets[25] and agrotourism[26]. Since 2009, a leading role has been played by the Myanmar Organic Growers and Producers Association that currently supports certification through the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)[27], an approach that has been adopted across the region, including Cambodia, Laos, Philippines Thailand and Vietnam.

Singapore is a hub for agritech, with the Government investing more than $300 million for R&D in the agri-food industry and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development running a program called Cultiv@te that supports innovation in the agri-food sector. These initiatives show that digital technology, including environmental sensors, tracking devices, data management and online marketing tools, can be used in support of agroecological principles such as crop health, recycling and connectivity, thereby boosting production and profits while making agriculture cleaner and safer.  

As early as 1995, the Thai Government established a network of Pest Management Centers that produced biocontrol agents, offered to farmers as a safe alternative to chemical pesticides.[28] These naturally occurring products were subsequently commercialized, and a number of local companies have been supplying biocontrol agents to small farmers, commercial greenhouses and large plantations for more than 25 years[29].  In 2014, ASEAN issued regulations on the use and trade of biocontrol agents, noting that over 400 products were commercially available in member countries.[30]

The Vietnamese Government has been promoting agroecological practices since the 1990’s when a program of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) was launched, attended by approximately one million farmers by 2005.[31] In the decades that followed, research has been carried out in the application of agroecological principles in a number of areas including rice farming[32], agroforestry, organic production and soil conservation.[33]

At present, Brunei is highly dependent on food imports but aims to produce a greater portion of its own food.[34] Considerable progress has been made to promoting sustainable agriculture within the framework of the SDGs[35] and in cooperation with fellow members of ASEAN.[36] The ASEAN Framework to Support Food, Agriculture and Forestry Small Producers, Cooperatives and MSMEs was adopted by SOM AMAF in 2021 during the Brunei Chairmanship.[37]