FOREST / Agriculture

The ASEAN-CRN participated in the 5th Global Science Conference on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) on 8–10 October 2019 in Bali, Indonesia. Photo credit: ASEAN-CRN

ANGA demonstrated a strong negotiation presence during the 25th Convention of Parties (COP25) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Madrid, Spain from December 3-14, 2019. Photo credit: ASEAN-CRN

ASEAN Negotiating Group on Agriculture (ANGA) focal points honed negotiations skills during the simulation exercise of the UNFCCC training. This session was joined by lead negotiators from other negating blocs. Photo credit : GIZ/Build Yosawat

The smiling faces of participants at the ACLP virtual closing ceremony on 10 December 2020. Photo credit: SEARCA.

Participants attended the first Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Guidelines Volume 3 Consultation Workshop on 7 July 2021. Building on the existing Volumes 1 and 2, the third volume will cover more CSA strategies and practices, while reflecting on the latest CSA trends and considering the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo credit: SEARCA/Renz Tabadero

ASEAN bodies successfully coordinate regional contributions to international and national climate-policy processes for climate-smart land use. This helps member states to build resilience, adapt to climate change and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

The Climate-Smart Land Use in ASEAN (CSLU) project builds on the successes of the preceding project on Forest and Climate Change (FOR-CC) under the former ASEAN German Programme on Response to Climate Change.

The CSLU project continues to strengthen the ASEAN bodies in their coordinating role for driving forward international and national climate-policy processes for climate-smart land use. Together with working groups and networks, the project supports the development of guidelines and recommendations related to land use and climate change through ASEAN bodies and networks and promotes their implementation in the member states. It further, facilitates matchmaking between support needs in the countries and the support on offer for implementing climate-smart and climate-resilient approaches for land use.

The project activities contribute to achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals as well as the Paris Agreement. In doing so, it promotes increasing resilience against and adaptation capacity for climate change, reducing or removing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increasing productivity and income in the agriculture and forestry sectors.

• Improving cooperation among ASEAN Member States (AMS) in agriculture and forestry.
• Improving cooperation between AMS in international climate-policy processes in this area.
• Enhancing synergies among ASEAN sectoral working groups dealing with issues of climate change and land use.

ASEAN working groups, the ASEAN Climate Resilience Network (ASEAN-CRN) and the ASEAN Negotiating Group on Agriculture (ANGA), decision-makers and practitioners from AMS, scientific institutions, civil society organisations and private companies.

Between August 2019-August 2021

• 7 Trainings and workshops organized (in cooperation with the United Nations Food Organization Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAO-ROAP), Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), and other partners)
• 7 Networking events organized (in cooperation with FAO-ROAP, Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture (GACSA), and other partners)
• 3 time support for ANGA delegates to attend United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiation meetings
• 3 times support for ASEAN-CRN to attend and contribute to external events
• 206 Participants in trainings/workshops (from AMS, Civil Society Organizations, and development agencies)
• 240 Participants in networking events (from AMS, Civil Society Organizations, and development agencies)
• 7 Published knowledge products

• Promoting Climate-Smart Land Use for Implementing Nationally Determined Contributions, 2021
• ASEAN Guidance for Climate-Smart Land Use Practices – a Review, 2021
• Climate-Smart Lane use Practice Insight Brief series, 2021

ASEAN Climate Leadership Programme (ACLP)

The CSLU project together with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) launched the ASEAN Climate Leadership Programme (ACLP) in 2020.  The ACLP, designed as a contribution to the work of the ASEAN Climate Resilience Network, aimed to enhance leadership skills while contributing to ASEAN policy processes and outcomes related to climate change, food security and land management.

The ACLP was implemented within 2,5 months, between October to December 2020. It consisted of five virtual workshops with additional group work and individual reflection time and drew upon the Theory U change management method and framework.  The ACLP brought together 27 participants from nine ASEAN Member States, mostly policymakers, but also representing  academia and civil society organizations. These participants enhanced their leadership skills by developing self-defined change projects and interacting with each other as well as with other stakeholders who contributed their knowledge and perspectives to the programme.

In 2021 a new round of the ACLP 2021 will address the topic “Promoting Climate-Smart Land Use for Implementing Nationally Determined Contributions” and will start 18 August 2021. For more information: https://aseanclimateleadership.org/

“ACLP helped me to become a better leader. I learned to look at things from different angles and consider different perspectives, exploring every aspect and find solutions. I continue to apply valuable lessons that I learned throughout the ACLP. For example, I practice listening with open heart, and open mind.”

Ms Rafeah Rabiatun binti Othman
Department of Agriculture, Malaysia / ACLP 2020 alumni

“Our work is dealing with multi-stakeholders from different sectors. In the ACLP, I learned about the methods, tools, and approaches for addressing various perspectives. It is important to take in consideration the voices of others and to integrate them in a particular process to ensure that our actions benefit everyone. Through the ACLP I learned to better work with colleagues and motivate others to reach common goal, and I am applying this now in my line of work”.

Mr Carlo Carlos
ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, Philippines / ACLP 2020 alumni

To strengthen unity of the Southeast Asian agriculture sector in the face of climate change, in 2017 the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry endorsed the establishment of the ASEAN Negotiating Group on Agriculture (ANGA). Since then, ANGA has been contributing to the work under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), specifically to the discussions on the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture (KJWA).

ANGA’s first major output was a joint regional submission for implementation of the KJWA (topic 2a) in November 2018. In 2020, the group submitted their second joint submission on improved livestock management systems (topic 2e) and socioeconomic and food security dimensions of climate change in the agricultural sector (topic 2f). ANGA continues to bring forward common positions from the region to promote the resiliency of agriculture and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation in the sector.

ANGA establishment was facilitated by the ASEAN Climate Resilience Network (ASEAN-CRN), a platform for regional exchange and cooperation on climate smart agriculture. The ASEAN-CRN and ANGA are supported by the United Nations Food Organization Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and the CSLU project. More information: https://asean-crn.org/anga/.

“I am very grateful for the incredible energy and alertness of the ASEAN group to give substantial contribution to the whole negotiation process. The importance of agriculture and its relation to climate change is on the rise every day. This was one of the main drivers to form a special group from ASEAN to handle climate change talks in agriculture.  This was reflected positively on the unity of the Group of G77 and China. The ASEAN group was a strong advocate to deal with agriculture from the perspective of particular vulnerabilities of the important economic sector and its relationship with food security,”

Mr Ayman Tharwat Amin Abdel Aziz
Lead negotiator of G77 and China for Agriculture