The agriculture sector is crucial to the economies of APO members, employing a vast workforce and significantly contributing to GDP. However, the escalating impacts of climate change threaten agricultural stability and productivity, necessitating innovative, sustainable solutions.

The COE on Climate-smart Agriculture (CSA) was established on 10 March 2023, hosted by the Japanese National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO). Aiming to enhance agricultural productivity and farmers’ profits while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it focuses on training, research, and pilot projects to deploy climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies, with a primary emphasis on rice, the staple food of the Asia-Pacific region.

In 2023, significant strides led to the identification of needs and assessment of readiness among eight APO members through multiple surveys and a strengthening program to study the best practices and operations of the COE on Green Productivity (GP) and Smart Manufacturing (SM) by the CPC. Figure 1 illustrates a finding from the survey on the importance of soil carbon sequestration in APO members. After that survey, Thailand was selected for a pilot project in 2024 to introduce CSA-related technologies.

Subsequently, an International Conference on CSA was held in October 2023 to promote awareness of and knowledge exchanges on innovative CSA practices and their benefits among APO members. This marked the first year of activities for the newly established COE, setting a strong foundation for becoming a pivotal resource in the region.

Figure 1. Importance of the soil carbon sequestration visualization tool in eight member economies based on the results of the need and readiness survey of APO member economies for implementing CSA technologies.

International Conference on CSA, Japan.

The APO continues to promote and strengthen the COE on CSA by engaging a broader array of stakeholders in sustainable agricultural practices, boosting productivity and resilience, and supporting livelihoods while promoting environmental sustainability and reducing emissions. These efforts are key to achieving the APO’s Vision 2025, with GP at the heart of sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific. The COE on CSA contributes to the centrality of productivity by expanding capacity building, tailoring best practices to local needs, broadening GP to include climate change, and conducting targeted, data-driven productivity assessments.

For more information: COE on CSA
Source: APO Annual Report 2023