LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—A paradigm shift toward regenerative agriculture is essential in achieving long-term food security and environmental restoration in Southeast Asia. This was emphasized by Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in her keynote address at the 5th International Conference on Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in the Tropics (IC-FSSAT). The conference was held in a hybrid format on 29 October 2025 at Hasanuddin University in Makassar, Indonesia and via Zoom.
With the theme "Regenerative Agriculture for Sustainable Food Production and Environmental Restoration," the conference brought together global experts to explore transformative solutions to the region's pressing agricultural and ecological challenges.
Sombilla highlighted the long-term consequences of intensive, input-heavy farming systems, including soil degradation, declining yields, biodiversity loss, and heightened vulnerability to climate change. She positioned regenerative agriculture as a timely and science-based response capable of restoring soil health, enhancing biodiversity, building climate resilience, and improving farm productivity.
Drawing from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), she outlined three core principles of regenerative agriculture: nurturing relationships within and across ecosystems; prioritizing soil health through minimal disturbance; and reducing reliance on synthetic inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides.
To illustrate its real-world potential, Sombilla cited Thailand's Thai Rice for Life Initiative, where farmers' regenerative methods achieved 30 percent higher yields and reduced production costs by the same margin. She also referenced an Indonesian pilot project that successfully integrated agroforestry into smaller palm oil systems, diversifying income sources and improving land use sustainability.
While acknowledging the short-term hurdles farmers may face in transitioning to regenerative systems, she emphasized the long-term gains, carbon sequestration for climate mitigation; access to premium markets for sustainably grown food; adoption of precision tools and artificial intelligence (AI); and the emergence of public-private partnerships to support training, financing, and market integration.
She called on researchers, educators, and students to lead the change in mainstreaming regenerative agriculture across Southeast Asia through innovation, implementation, and evidence-based assessment.
She also spotlighted SEARCA's ongoing initiatives that embody regenerative principles: the Joint Degree Master of Science in Food Security and Climate Change (MS FSCC), which equips future leaders and researchers with the knowledge, skills, and tools to advance sustainable agriculture; the School-plus-Home Gardens Project (S+HGP), which promotes gardening in schools and homes to enhance nutrition and diversify diets; and the Rice Straw Biogas Hub (RSBH), which transforms rice straw into biochar and compost, contributing to soil regeneration and circular bioeconomy.
The conference also featured distinguished speakers from across the globe, including Dr. Ir. Andi Amran Sulaiman, Minister of Agriculture of Indonesia; Prof. B. Nishantha from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka; Prof. Mahmoud Seleiman from King Saud University, Saudi Arabia; and Mr. Liu Hung-Tse from Group Gain Bio-Agri Co., Taiwan.
As a regional leader in sustainable agriculture, SEARCA continues to champion regenerative practices that restore ecosystems, improve farmer livelihoods, and secure the region's food future. Through its 12th Five-Year Development Plan: Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia), SEARCA is committed to catalyzing the transformation of agricultural systems—anchored in innovation, inclusivity, and resilience.