Advancing Green Agriculture 2025 Recap (Part 2)
The International Symposium on Advancing Green Agriculture 2025 aimed to explore innovative strategies and policies that aligned agricultural productivity with environmental sustainability and rural development. In response to pressing challenges such as climate change, ecological degradation, and resource depletion, the symposium showcased successful case studies in green agriculture and examined key barriers and emerging opportunities across the Asia-Pacific region.
Some of the highlights included:
Looking at ways to reduce fertiliser use through breeding and policy approaches in rice fields (Prof. Shang Yu). Non-tariff measures and how they affect the cost of food and imports (Prof. Rui Mao). Prof. Piya Wongpit described the Green Climate Fund that was established by the UNFCCC in 2010, and contributes towards assisting developing countries responding to climate change. The presentation by Prof. Piya Wongpit was very engaging, looking at all the components of green finance for sustainable development in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, from a broad view of manufacturing, logistics, construction, agriculture and utility supplies. It also looked at the sectors that were trying to enable a greener finance system such as scientific and technical sectors, communication of information, and policies such as carbon capture.
At lunch Dr Xia Liang had labelled some of the lunch ingredients with QR codes that linked to information onhow your rice or the meat in your sandwich could be “greener” with better agricultural and policy practices. Designed to reduce pollution and benefit farming communities by showing that choices that us as consumers make can affect the viability of green measures.
Our very own University of Melbourne students and some post-doctorate peers, broke up the larger talks with their quick bites where they described their innovative research in just 3 minutes! Giving a taste of what the next generation of researchers are exploring. Everything from microbes and virus’ helping to promote plant growth outcomes, methane emissions from sewage waste, forage for a greener livestock production, to chemical engineering fertiliser coatings and using brown coal to reduce N emissions.
By the afternoon, the Symposium was stacking up the interesting and thought-provoking talks. Some attendees were making the most of the day by taking a moment to build connections outside the forum theatre in quiet corners. Dr. Chubashini Suntharalingam from the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International archives (CABI), presented a well-rounded overview of strategic partnerships. Looking at what they could achieve by working together across 48 countries with 5 main objectives: To improve food security and livelihoods of small holders communities; help communities adapt to changing climates, a focus on equality and opportunities for women and young people; safe guarding biodiversity; Increasing reach of scientific impact and application of agriculture and environment. With several case studies across coffee, spices and vegetable plant health her talk was inspiring to say the least. It is seeing how an initiative has enacted real change that motivates others to create meaningful change.
We finished off the afternoon with some particularly delicious Portuguese tarts, a great group photo and some of the best talks of the day. A major part of the AGA2025 was to be a vessel for communication and information dissemination. Prof. Orachos Napasintuwong described how their network in Southeast Asia were able to identify common challenges and collaboration gaps. From that base, the network for sustainability has grown to regional and sub regional groups, especially in rice-based economies. Prof. Napasintuwong showed that by strengthening networks, policy and programs were subsequently strengthened, leading to sustainable outcomes on food security, food safety and evidence-based research to enact change.
Finance is a big part of a sustainable green agricultural economy. As Bill Malcom one of our University of Melbourne economic professors’ always says, “You need to be in the black to be green.” All change requires an economic framework and finances. One of the last talks of the day was from Prasan Kumar Das from the Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association, talking about the financial and policy side of reducing agrochemicals across seven countries (Ecuador, India, Kenya, Lao PDR, Philippines, Uruguay and Vietnam). Prof. Kumar Das threaded multi financial institutions and financial practices together to paint a picture of how we can overcome current barriers facing small holders and how to engage stakeholders to enact change in this area.
Our very own Dr. Xia (Emma) Liang and Balco Australia’s Hunter Hu rounded out the talks.We will delve deeper into Xia’s talk and motivation for running the Symposium in another post, so keep an eye out for that. We could not have asked for a more successful day.
Creating connections and learning from elite minds will continue into the future from this brilliant Symposium, AGA2025.
Part 3 of our event recap is now live on our website, and stay up to date with upcoming events through our mailing list and Hub socials!
