Luang Prabang, Lao PDR–September 15, 2025, Mekong Institute (MI) joined delegates from across the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Agriculture (WGA), hosted in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR from September 9-11, 2025. The hybrid meeting, co-chaired by the Lao PDR Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), brought together government leaders, development partners, and private-sector representatives to chart priorities for agrifood systems transformation toward 2030.
MI Executive Director Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn delivered a keynote address on “Agriculture Sector Regional Cooperation in GMS: Programs and Priorities for Transformation of the GMS Agrifood Sector to 2030.” In his remarks, he traced the arc of GMS agriculture cooperation, beginning with the Core Agriculture Support Program (CASP I&II), the Strategy for Promoting Safe and Environment-Friendly Agro-based Value Chains in the GMS (SASRAP), to the current Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (SAFSP). Mr. Suriyan underscored that “transformation” must serve as the organizing imperative for the next five years of regional cooperation. He outlined six interlocking shifts: policy, institutional, market, behavior, innovation and technology, and partnerships, that will be critical in translating strategy into measurable results for communities across the Mekong.
At the heart of the discussions was the GMS 2030 Kunming Strategic Framework for Transforming Agrifood Systems, adopted by agriculture ministries in late 2024. The framework envisions a resilient, sustainable, inclusive, and integrated agrifood sector that drives productivity, food security and nutrition, market access, and environmental stewardship. Its three core pillars: green and climate-resilient agriculture; safe and quality agrifood systems; and food diversification with value-chain optimization, are underpinned by cross-cutting commitments to youth, gender and social inclusion, digital innovation, and sustainable financing.
Reaffirming MI’s mandate to strengthen regional cooperation and integration, Mr. Suriyan highlighted three priority contributions MI will make in partnership with GMS stakeholders:
- Facilitating regional cooperation, public private partnerships, and policy dialogue through the GMS Knowledge Network and Mekong CONNECT;
- Advancing knowledge sharing and capacity development to accelerate agrifood systems transformation; and
- Providing technical assistance and outreach to ensure the Kunming Strategic Framework is translated into country-driven, results-oriented actions.
He also emphasized MI’s dual role as regional coordinator of the GMS Knowledge Network and interim secretariat of the ASEAN Climate Resilient Network, positioning MI as a bridge to align GMS and ASEAN priorities in climate-resilient agriculture and food systems.
The meeting’s outcomes will be captured in a Summary Statement of follow-up actions, including potential outcomes and outputs for the next phase of the GMS Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (2026–2030). These are expected to center on digitally enabled traceability, climate-smart production, inclusive finance, and harmonized SPS systems, ensuring that GMS agriculture not only adapt to the emerging challenges and regional development of the present but also seizes opportunities for a sustainable and resilient future.
