Agriculture is the backbone of the Greater Mekong Subregion’s economies. With over 60% of the subregion’s 340 million inhabitants engaged in small-scale agriculture, it directly supports the livelihoods of nearly 200 million people.
The Working Group on Agriculture (WGA) has been working toward the implementation of priority projects under the Core Agriculture Support Program.
While agriculture is the cornerstone of many families’ livelihoods, it is also exacting a toll on the environment, contributing to forest and biodiversity loss, water pollution and shortages, soil degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions.
People and governments in the Greater Mekong Subregion are working to develop agricultural practices that simultaneously conserve land and water resources, while at the same time increasing the productivity and profitability of agriculture, particularly for small-scale farmers.
Countries are pooling resources and expertise to increase the competitiveness of their agricultural products and encourage investment in agribusiness, while at the same time conserving the environment and natural resources. This involves research and technology that emphasizes climate-friendly agricultural development, including participation by the private sector with a focus on food security. This work is being guided by the Core Agriculture Support Program Phase II (CASP II) 2011-2020, supported by the Government of Sweden (Sida), Nordic Development Fund, Water Financing Partnership Facility, and Asian Development Bank.
At the 2nd GMS Agriculture Ministers' Meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia on 6-8 September 2017, the ministers endorsed a strategy to promote safe and environment-friendly agriculture products, and a plan to strengthen value chain integration, involving smallholder farmers, rural women, as well as small and medium-sized agro-enterprises.
Related
• Strategy for Promoting Safe and Environment-Friendly Agro-Based Value Chains and Siem Reap Action Plan, 2018-2022
• Core Agriculture Support Program Phase II (2011-2015)
• Core Agriculture Support Program Phase I (2006-2010)
• Working Group on Agriculture (WGA)
Send inquiries to GMS Secretariat.
This study provides recommendations for decision makers to assist in the development of a national biofuel program for the commercial development and long-term viability of biofuels in Thailand.
This study aims to better understand biofuel development in the People's Republic of China. It assesses the implications of the biofuel program on food prices, crop diversification, land-use patterns, and farm restructuring.
This study provides recommendations for decision makers to assist in the development of a national biofuel program for the commercial development and long-term viability of biofuels in Myanmar.
This study aims to formulate a strategic policy framework in the Lao People's Democratic Republic to promote and develop renewable energy resources to improve rural living conditions and reduce poverty without endangering food security.
This study conducted by the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Agriculture provides a preliminary assessment of the long-run commercial viability of a biofuel program in Cambodia.
The Sixth Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Agriculture (WGA-6) was held in Bangkok, Thailand on 13-14 October 2009.
This study is one of the first steps to improve understanding of the impacts of biofuel development on agriculture and economy, with specific focus on the Greater Mekong Subregion.
A Development Partners’ Meeting on Biofuels and Rural Renewable Energy was held at the FAO Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand on 5 March 2009.
This is the summary of proceedings from the Technical Meeting on the Greater Mekong Subregion Cross-Border Agriculture Trade and Contract Farming in Bangkok, Thailand in 6 March 2009.
In this issue of the Journal of Greater Mekong Subregion Development Studies, we feature five articles that concern some of the more pressing issues of cooperation in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) - trade facilitation and trade logistics, the trade impact of cross-border transport infrastructure, tourism corridor development, and biofuels and rural renewable energy. The diversity of the topics tackled in this volume reflects the multifaceted challenges of regional cooperation.