The workshop was hosted by MaeJo University in Chiang Mai (Thailand) on 26-27 June attended by representatives of 11 Universities from 8 different countries of ASEAN but also UNESCO and SEARCA. The workshop has to be seen as a stepping stone towards developing a regional project addressing Agroecology and Higher Education Institutions in ASEAN.

The event aimed to conduct multidisciplinary research on social and sustainability sciences for understanding social, environmental and economic issues and impacts of ASEAN integration including analyses of significant policy implications for governments.

This activity discussed how higher education and sciences can help achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while Thailand is Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2019 under the theme: “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability.” This main goal of the workshop is to discuss evidence or data and analysis from experts about the state of agroecology learning, curricula, research and extension policies, priorities and activities of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across Southeast Asia.

Two main workshop outputs will be:

1) Practical suggestions and policy recommendations to the Thai government and ASEAN for the higher education sector concerning plans to host two regional bodies: a SEAMEO Centre for Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) and the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD);

2) Recommendations to FAO for project development and multi-year implementation of a higher education component for FAO’s new Scaling-up Agroecology Initiative launched in 2018. FAO defines agroecology (AE) as “an integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of a sustainable and fair food system.” AE Approaches include: Agroforestry (AF), organic agriculture (OA), conservation agriculture (CA) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) or Integrated Crop Management (ICM); Integrated Farming/Home Gardening as well as elements of Thailand’s unique Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) or New Theory.