March 27, 2025
VIENTIANE – In a landmark move towards sustainable agriculture, the ASEAN member states, in partnership with key international organisations, have officially launched the ASEAN Guidelines for Agroecology Transitions.
The guidelines – led by the Lao PDR’s Department of Agricultural Land Management (DALaM), under the Lao-facilitated Initiative on Agroecology for ASEAN (LICA) – aim to guide the region towards more sustainable, resilient and equitable food systems.
Developed through a collaborative process involving the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in close collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat through the Food, Agriculture and Forestry Division, the guidelines provide a comprehensive roadmap for ASEAN countries to strengthen agroecology as a transformative approach to agriculture.
The release of the guidelines was supported by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) through the Agroecology and Safe Food System Transitions (ASSET) project, which is co-funded by the European Union and the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM), and co-led by CIRAD and GRET.
The guidelines were endorsed at the 45th ASEAN Agriculture and Forestry Senior Officials Meeting (SOM-AMAF) in Malaysia and officially adopted during the 46th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) Meeting.
The guidelines focus on seven key areas to support agroecology transitions across the region – strategic planning, farmer engagement, sustainable value chains, knowledge-sharing, multi-stakeholder collaboration, research and innovation, and financing solutions. These areas are designed to address critical challenges such as food security, environmental degradation and climate change.
“The release of these guidelines represents a major step in ASEAN’s commitment to building sustainable, resilient and inclusive food systems,” said an official of the ASEAN Secretariat.
“It is an important tool that will help member states strengthen agroecology as a key pillar of their agricultural strategies, aligned with regional and international goals such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.”
As part of these efforts, a digital media hub will be established to facilitate continuous access to resources and opportunities for collaboration, further supporting ASEAN’s agroecology transition.
The guidelines will inform future regional plans, including the Action Plan for Sustainable Agriculture in ASEAN for 2025-2030.
The ASEAN agroecology transition initiative, LICA by global organisations such as FAO and CIRAD, is expected to have significant long-term benefits and promote biodiversity protection, sustainable farming systems and climate resilience across the region. Through these efforts, ASEAN is working to create a more sustainable and equitable future for its agricultural and food systems.
