Siem Reap (Cambodia). Over 260 participants from 21 nationalities gathered in Siem Reap, Cambodia, to discuss agroecology in the Mekong region in the first Regional Forum on Agroecology Futures. The Forum was a sucessful and unprecedented thematic meeting on agroecology since FAO’s Regional Symposium in November 2015.

Over the three days that took the event, participants could discuss, learn and share experiences and visions for agroecology in the Mekong region. More than 70 presentations in plenary and parallel sessions, an innovation and knoweldge fair, a poster session and a seed swap with more than 60 plant species and varietes consituted the main activities of the Forum.

A wide range of topics were discussed, reflecting the integrated and diverse reality of agroecology. Crop biodiversity and its role, the use of agrochemicals in the region, the need for machinery suited for smallholder producers, the importance of participatory and innovative intervention mechanisms, the recognition and revalorization of Indigenous Knoweldge and the marketing of agroecological products were some of the issues discussed among participants and experts.

The Agroecology Futures, Inspiring and innovating stories from the Agroecology Learning Alliance in South East Asia was launched during the Forum. The publication results from a compilation of over 20 case studies on agroecology in the Mekong region. (Download here)

For futher information on the Forum, please visit the website here.