Bangkok, Thailand — On May 14, 2025, the ASEAN Climate Resilience Network (ASEAN-CRN) convened its Regional Workshop and 10th Annual Meeting, uniting climate and agriculture focal points from ASEAN Member States (AMS) and key development partners to advance climate-resilient agriculture in Southeast Asia. 

Hosted by Thailand’s Department of Agriculture (DOA) as ASEAN-CRN Chair — with support from the Mekong Institute (MI) as interim secretariat, and partners including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH— the back-to-back events served as a timely platform to review progress, share strategies, and set a collective course ahead of COP30.

Stronger Together Against the Climate Crisis

As the network enters its second decade, it seeks to amplify its impact and align more closely with ASEAN’s vision for a climate-resilient agricultural sector. 

In her opening remarks, Dr. Wilawan Kraikruan, Deputy Director General of DOA Thailand, emphasized the importance of collective action in the face of shared challenges. “We know that the climate crisis respects no borders. It demands strong cooperation, shared vision, and joint action. The ASEAN-CRN is proof of what we can accomplish together,” she stated.

She further recognized the network’s achievements over the past decade: “Over the years, ASEAN-CRN has helped shape regional policy frameworks, supported the formation of the ASEAN Negotiating Group for Agriculture (ANGA), and promoted climate-smart agriculture (CSA) through extensive capacity building and knowledge exchange. Today’s workshop and meeting will carry that momentum forward.”

Echoing this, Dr. Pham Quang Minh, Assistant Director of the Food, Agriculture and Forestry Division at the ASEAN Secretariat, highlighted the value of the knowledge and partnerships present in the meeting: “With the wealth of knowledge and experience gathered here today, I am confident that our discussions will generate meaningful recommendations and policies to address the impacts of climate change, paving the way for stronger regional collaboration and forward-looking solutions.”

Building Coherence from Global Advocacy to Local Action

A central theme of the regional workshop was the call for greater alignment between global negotiations, national policies, and local implementation. Participants underscored the need to ensure that commitments made at the international level translate into tangible actions on the ground. This includes mobilizing climate finance to support adaptation in vulnerable farming communities across the region.

As part of the lead-up to COP30, delegates advocated for a transition from negotiation to implementation, with localized climate action, food systems transformation, and nutrition security at the heart of the ASEAN response.

Special Focus: Rice, Climate and Nutrition

Technical presentations focused on rice as a key ASEAN staple. GIZ presented the Thai Rice GCF Project’s “Sustainable Low-Emission Rice Initiatives,” while FAO discussed rice and blended finance, ASEAN Green Bonds for sustainable agriculture, and repurposing agricultural subsidies to support climate-smart practices. These insights showcased innovations driving sustainable rice production under changing climate conditions.

Discussion on climate and nutrition, led by Clim-Eat, a GIZ-supported project, brought together country representatives to share practical experiences in linking nutrition and climate resilience within ASEAN food systems. Examples included Indonesia’s nutrition-sensitive, climate-smart action plans; the Philippines’ “Zero-KM Food System” promoting healthy, low-emission urban food production; and Lao PDR’s multisectoral coordination aligned with NDC 3.0. The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement and GIZ emphasized a systems approach connecting food, health, and climate resilience, encouraging ASEAN countries to embed nutrition more fully into climate planning and national commitments.

Co-Creating the ASEAN-CRN Workplan

In a dedicated co-creation session, AMS focal points and development partners jointly drafted a five-year ASEAN-CRN Workplan (2026–2030), which outlines strategic activities across five thematic areas: (1) Nature-based Solutions; (2) Climate-smart Agriculture; (3) ASEAN-CRN Institutional Strengthening, Coordination, and Communication; (4) Climate and Sustainable Finance; and (5) Engagement with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This draft five-year workplan will serve as the primary reference for the network’s annual planning process, detailing key priorities, activities, timelines, and responsibilities to guide effective coordination and implementation. As a direct outcome of this workshop, the ASEAN-CRN will use the draft to develop the official annual workplan for 2025–2026.

ASEAN-CRN’s 10th Annual Meeting: Reflecting on a Decade, Shaping What’s Next

Chaired by Ms. Chaowanart Phruetthithep of Thailand’s Department of Agriculture, the 10th ASEAN-CRN Annual Meeting took place in the afternoon following the regional workshop. The meeting reflected on the network’s achievements and set priorities for the coming years. Participants reviewed the draft ASEAN-CRN Workplan, introduced the ASEAN Climate Resilience 5-Year Program Framework (2026–2030), and discussed a proposed side event at the upcoming 47th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) meeting.

The 5-Year Program Framework provides a roadmap to scale up climate-smart agriculture, expand inclusive finance and innovation, and institutionalize ASEAN-CRN under the leadership of DOA Thailand.

The proposed high-level AMAF side event in the Philippines will bring together AMS and partners to accelerate action toward climate-resilient, low-emission agriculture aligned with ASEAN’s 2050 net-zero targets. The event aims to spotlight innovations and foster greater policy, partnership, and investment alignment in the agri-food system.

These proposals and recommendations were presented to the ATWGARD for endorsement, which convened the following day. 

Engaging Development Partners

The ASEAN-CRN acknowledged the continued contributions of its development partners: (1) GIZ; (2) FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific; (3) Winrock International; (4) Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI); (5) CropLife Asia; (6) Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA); (7) Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS); and (8) Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI).