Photo courtesy of IFPRI
JAKARTA, Indonesia—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) joined researchers and experts from countries across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in a high-level policy roundtable and inception workshop held on 4-5 August 2025 in Jakarta.
Jointly organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), BIMSTEC, SEARCA, and the Network of Policy Advisors and Analysts (NePAA), the event brought together senior representatives from national governments, international organizations, and regional think tanks to address shared challenges and explore opportunities for sustainable and inclusive development.
The event formally launched a new regional initiative called "Ensuring Inclusiveness, Sustainability, and Efficiency of Food System Transformation in the ASEAN and BIMSTEC countries (ATMI-II)." The initiative aims to help ASEAN and BIMSTEC member countries design and implement policies that build inclusive, climate-resilient, and market-integrated food systems.
Addressing participants via a recorded message, H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, ASEAN Secretary-General, emphasized the importance of collaboration across borders to advance resilient food systems.
"Regional cooperation—grounded in shared values, mutual respect, and sustainability—is essential to addressing both immediate and long-term challenges in food and agriculture. Initiatives like ATMI-II are timely and vital in supporting this transformation," he said.
Photo courtesy of IFPRI
Affirming Hourn's message, H.E. Indra Mani Pandey, BIMSTEC Secretary-General, emphasized the importance of collaborative regional action.
"ATMI-II is a timely and significant step in our collective efforts to enhance farmer incomes, strengthen food and nutrition security, and build climate-resilient value chains. BIMSTEC remains committed to supporting regional cooperation and partnerships that drive agricultural transformation and economic growth for our people," he said.
ATMI-II will engage select ASEAN and BIMSTEC countries—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam—focusing on structural and institutional reforms that can foster more efficient and equitable agri-food markets.
Discussions at the roundtable focused on smallholder inclusion, participation in regional value chains, and the design of climate-smart agricultural policies. Deliberations were shaped by recent shifts in global trade dynamics and regional frameworks such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Dr. Reehana Raza, Regional Director for IFAD's Asia and the Pacific Division, highlighted the value of regionally embedded platforms like NePAA in supporting countries during transitions.
"Regional platforms like ASEAN and BIMSTEC bring the reach, relationships, and policy traction needed to scale impact where it matters most. This grant brings countries together, builds technical capacity, and embeds policy solutions that last beyond the project lifecycle. With NePAA, what began as a sub-regional platform is now becoming a robust, multi-country mechanism to support evidence-based policy across the region. In this next phase, we are focused on both expanding NePAA's reach and ensuring its long-term sustainability," she said.
The event also featured participation from NePAA members—a community of policymakers, researchers, and development partners—who collectively identified priority areas for research and capacity building. Stakeholders shared their countries' experiences and explored ways to better align national and regional policies on sustainability, trade, employment, and food security.
Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, SEARCA Center Director, highlighted the initiative's commitment to people-centered development.
"The proposed activities of ATMI-II will be deeply rooted in inclusiveness, sustainability, and efficiency—aimed at strengthening and empowering smallholder farmers, especially women and marginalized groups. It is our shared responsibility to ensure their voices are heard, their needs are met, and they are given the support required to thrive as we transform agriculture and the food system," she said.
Photo courtesy of IFPRI
Building on earlier collaboration under ATMI-ASEAN, the new phase seeks to institutionalize NePAA as a platform for long-term policy dialogue and technical exchange. Dr. Shahidur Rashid, IFPRI Director for South Asia, emphasized this continuity: "This initiative builds on our earlier work in advancing inclusive, sustainable, and efficient food system transformation in the ASEAN region, with notable outcomes at both the country and regional levels. Through NePAA, we aim to institutionalize a platform for sustained policy dialogue and shared learning across countries navigating similar agri-food system transitions."
The initiative adopts a South-South cooperation approach for transforming value chains and deepening regional market integration, with a focus on inclusive growth and climate resilience. It places smallholders, women, and youth at the heart of its transformation agenda.
After discussions on the first day, participants reached a shared understanding of the initiative's vision, structure, and operational approach. This foundation enabled stakeholders to refine research themes and regional coordination mechanisms and strengthen their alignment with ASEAN and BIMSTEC strategies on food systems transformation. The group also drafted an action plan to establish NePAA as a long-term platform for knowledge exchange. The day concluded with a commitment from all involved to take integrated approaches across environmental, social, and economic dimensions.
With more than 30 representatives from government, civil society, academia, and regional institutions, the event set a collaborative tone for the next phase—linking food systems transformation to broader regional goals of integration, resilience, and sustainability.
The second day of the event continued with technical sessions and collaborative agenda-setting discussions among key stakeholders.