International Workshop on Transitioning towards agroecology and regenerative agriculture, Siem Reap, Cambodia

This international event was hosted and co-organized by the government of Cambodia through the Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Intensification Consortium (CASIC), in close collaboration with FAO, ESCAP, CIRAD, the ASSET project and other partners. The main event brought together over 200 participants from 21 countries (and 95 institutions) throughout 4 days.

A one-day pre-event on Policy dialogue for Agroecology Transition in the ASEAN region, attended by nearly 100 participants. This was part of an ongoing process aiming at developing ASEAN policy guidelines on agroecological transition to accompany the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Guidelines on Sustainable Agriculture and strengthen cooperation for sustainable agriculture in the region and beyond. The guidelines are expected to be finalized and presented to ASEAN secretariat for an adoption by all members state towards the end of 2024. It takes place in the framework of the EU-AFD funded ASSET project under which FAO is a partner.

2 keynote presentations delivered by Dr Olivier De Schutter and Dr Pablo Tittonell, and 9 global and regional initiatives presented to set the scene, including Agroecology Coalition, 4per1000initiative, WOCAT, The One Million Voices of Agroecology initiatives, TEEBAgri, among others. 19 technical presentations under 5 thematic sessions: Technologies & Innovations, Human skills development, Support to innovation implementation, Finance & investment, Public policies. Lastly, a post session on Evaluation of agroecological pathways with the title "methodological advances and challenges".

The event also hosted an innovation fair with 27 booths addressing 5 core sectors: AE practices & technologies, Finance & investments, Education & skills, Support to innovation, Value chains.

Participants included Senior Government Officials and Farmers Organizations from 7 of the ASEAN countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and the ASEAN Secretariat, Government focal points of the Agroecology Coalition, and representatives from CSOs, Research Institutions, Development partners and UN agencies from the region and beyond.

The opening of the conference was done by His Excellency Om Kimsir, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Chair of CASIC Steering Committee, high representative of His Excellency Dith Tina, Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It also included opening remarks from the H.E. Jacques Pellet, French Ambassador in Cambodia, Ms Rebekah Bell, FAOR in Cambodia and Mr Markus Buerli, Director of Cooperation of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Cambodia. 

FAO, as a co-organizer, was part of the steering committee of the event. It also contributed financially and enabled the participation of 17 government officials and representatives of family farmers organizations from Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Lastly, it also supported the moderation of the pre-event and the session about global initiatives by Pierre Ferrand from the FAO Plant Production and Protection Division, and delivered a presentation about the TAP-AIS project by Delgermaa Chuluunbaatar from the FAO Office if Innovations.