Advancing Climate Resilience and Food Security: Insights from the ASEAN Think Tanks Summit Workshop

The 2026 ASEAN Think Tanks Summit workshop highlights that strengthening climate resilience and food security through adaptation strategies, evidence-based policymaking, and regional collaboration can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient agricultural system across the ASEAN region.

The Singapore Institute of International Affairs recently organized the 2026 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Think Tanks Summit (ATTS) workshop, uniting regional experts and stakeholders to tackle the current challenges at the convergence of climate change and food systems.​ The workshop is part of the ASEAN Track 1.5 dialogue series, where discussions contribute to broader regional policy processes, inputs to the ASEAN Secretariat, and policy recommendations for ASEAN Member States. 

The theme of the workshop is “Climate Risks and Food Security,” highlighting the urgent need to strengthen ASEAN’s agricultural systems’ resilience. Discussions revolved around advancing climate adaptation strategies for producers and farmers. This includes exploring the impacts of volatility of the global market on food stockpiles, trade policies, and domestic food prices, and resolving the competing demand for land use for food, animal feed, and fuel. Furthermore, participants also delve into different ways to safeguard the integrity of biofuels and waste-to-energy supply chains. 

The workshop’s first session highlighted the vulnerability of food security to both climate-related shocks and shifting market conditions in ASEAN. During this session, they focused on the impacts of severe typhoons and floods in 2025. This includes the widespread economic damage and exposes the critical gaps in infrastructure, land use planning, and disaster preparedness. These emphasized the increasing intensity of risks due to climate change and their implications for productivity in the agricultural sector and rural livelihoods. In addition, the session explored the climate change-related risks faced by agricultural producers, particularly smallholder farmers. To conclude this session, the participants highlighted the need to improve climate adaptation strategies across the region by improving access to technologies, enhancing early warning systems, and advocating for sustainable agricultural practices. 

For the second session, they immersed themselves in the discussion of the challenges in agricultural systems as demand expands across three competing uses, such as food, animal feed, and fuel. The workshop session featured the drivers of the demand for biofuels, which include the global transition away from fossil fuels. In addition, the discussion also revolved around the increasing consumption of protein in developing countries, which increases the demand for animal feed as one of the pressures on the agricultural systems. 

Learnings from this session translate into both regional and national policy and development initiatives, particularly prioritizing the stronger integration of climate resilience and food security into agricultural planning, supported by evidence-based research and data-driven decision-making. Additionally, enhancing knowledge exchange through policy dialogues, technical platforms, and capacity-building initiatives is also a necessary step. Ultimately, these insights underscore the significance of an approach that is collaborative and coordinated to promote resilient and sustainable communities and food systems. 

Reference: Philippine Institute of Development Studies. (2026, April 6). ASEAN Think Tanks emphasize resilient food systems for a climate-smart future. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://pids.gov.ph/details/news/press-releases/asean-think-tanks-emphasize-resilient-food-systems-for-a-climate-smart-future