Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative - AFACI

13/08/2026

AFACI’s 10-country pest monitoring project holds final review in Sri Lanka

Researchers from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam convened on August 10–14, 2026 in Peradeniya, Sri Lanka for the final project evaluation workshop of the “Asia Regional FAW and BPH Diagnostics and Monitoring and Surveillance Program (PMP+).”

The five-day workshop was organized by the Rural Development Administration-Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (RDA-AFACI) in partnership with Sri Lanka, the host country, and their Department of Agriculture (DOA).

Dr. W.A.R.T. Wickramaarachchi, Director General of Agriculture of the DOA, welcomed the delegates and highlighted the project’s role in strengthening regional partnerships and technical capacities, while Dr. Park Soo-Yun, Program Director of the RDA-AFACI, commended the steadfast support and unwavering commitment of the member-countries for the past three years.

In recognition of their exemplary performance, Dr. Md. Mahfuz Alam of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council was named 2025 Most Outstanding Principal Investigator, while Phatsalakone Manivong of the Laos National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute-Rice and Cash Crop Research Center received the Outstanding Principal Investigator award.

Funded by RDA and in collaboration with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the PMP+ worked to address two of the region’s most damaging transboundary pests, fall armyworm (FAW) and brown planthopper (BPH), by generating genomic evidence on how their populations move, then translating that evidence into shared diagnostic tools and management options. The project built on earlier AFACI pest-management initiatives.

CSIRO opened the technical sessions with a project overview, after which each of the 10 member countries delivered a country report over the following two days.

Over the past three years, partner countries contributed samples that together formed one of the region’s largest genomic datasets for FAW and BPH, giving researchers new insight into pest management. Countries also surveyed and shared local natural enemies of FAW, supporting new genomic resources for parasitoid wasps and other biological control agents that could offer alternatives to chemical pesticides.

Alongside the research, hands-on technical workshops held in member countries built regional capacity in molecular diagnostics and genomic analysis, training researchers and officials to carry this work forward independently.

The country presentation was followed by a presentation and discussion led by RDA and CSIRO, respectively, where delegates reflected on the project’s outcomes and next steps for the region’s pest management.

The activity capped off with a field visit to the Research Field and the Entomology Division of the Horticultural Crops Research and Development Institute at the DOA’s Gannoruwa Station, observing ongoing pest diagnosis and sustainable farming demonstrations.

11/08/2026

RDA-AFACI launches month-long dairy cattle training program in Korea

Today, August 11, 2026, the Rural Development Administration-Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (RDA-AFACI), together with Jeonbuk National University and Jangsu Hanwoo Local Corporation, officially started the four-week intensive training on dairy cattle genetic improvement.

Twelve dairy cattle professionals from six AFACI member countries (Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) will spend the next month building technical expertise in artificial insemination, reproductive management, genomic evaluation, and smart livestock technologies, pairing theoretical coursework with hands-on training at leading Korean dairy farms, research institutions, and breeding facilities.

In his opening remarks, Professor Choi Nagjin of Jeonbuk National University expressed hope that the training would not only expand participants' professional expertise but also help forge strong networks and cooperation among the participating countries.

Further, Division Director Park Og-sik of Jangsu Hanwoo Local Corporation spoke on the organization's role as Korea's only public corporation specializing in the livestock sector, expressing hope that the program will help participants broaden their expertise and contribute to the development of the livestock sector in their home countries.

RDA Technology Cooperation Bureau Director Dr. Kim Minkyeong, in her congratulatory remarks, acknowledged the partnership with Jeonbuk National University and Jangsu Hanwoo Local Corporation in making the training program possible. She also noted that Korea is recognized as one of the world's leading countries in dairy technology and productivity, and that the program, made possible through the collaboration of Korea's public and private sectors, offers participants a rare opportunity to experience the country’s advanced dairy industry firsthand through hands-on training and field visits.

To maximize the long-term impact of the program, participants will develop country-specific action plans during the final stage of the training. Each participant will present strategies for adapting and implementing Korean dairy cattle breeding technologies and management practices within the context of their own country’s livestock sector.

31/07/2026

Rice breeders across Asia advance climate-resilient varieties at AFACI workshop in Vietnam

Marking continued progress toward registering climate-resilient rice varieties across the region, researchers from nine Asian countries presented promising rice breeding lines with stronger tolerance to drought, flooding, and salinity during the four-day workshop in Can Tho City, Vietnam from July 21-24, 2026.

The Rural Development Administration-Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (RDA-AFACI) and the Food and Fertilizer Technology Center (FFTC), organized the activity in partnership with the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences-Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (VAAS-CLRRI).

The workshop reviewed the “Accelerate Variety Registration and Seed Distribution of Stress Tolerant Rice Varieties by AFACI Member Countries (RSR),” the third phase (2025–2029) of AFACI’s regional rice breeding program. Implemented by the International Rice Research Institute in partnership with 10 member countries, the project builds on the achievements of its earlier phases to accelerate the registration, deployment, and adoption of stress-tolerant rice varieties across Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

On the first day, country representatives presented updates on breeding lines under evaluation for drought, submergence, and salinity tolerance, along with progress in seed multiplication and multi-location field trials. Delegates also took part in the Post-Project Review and Learning Workshop, where they were divided into two groups and discussed shared challenges like unpredictable weather, lengthy registration processes, and seed distribution logistics, and proposed stronger regional communication networks going forward.

On the following two days, delegates and other participants attended the Low Carbon Rice Workshop, where experts from VAAS, IRRI, Japan’s National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Taiwan’s Agricultural Research Institute, and Korea’s Rural Economic Institute covered topics spanning low-carbon farming practices, digital monitoring and remote sensing for emissions tracking, and policy mechanisms for scaling low-carbon rice.

On the final day, the participants visited the Tien Thuan Cooperative, part of the “One Million Hectares of High-Quality, Low-Carbon Rice in the Mekong Delta” project, where they observed live demonstrations of low-emission rice cultivation, straw mushroom production, and organic fertilizer made from rice straw. The group then toured CLRRI’s research campus, viewing field trials of newly developed rice varieties alongside low-carbon production techniques adapted for the Mekong Delta.

This activity was part of the initiatives of AFACI in achieving its long-term goal of building a complete rice value chain, from seed distribution to low-carbon production and market sale, across Asia by 2035.

08/07/2026

📢 The Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Thailand's Land Development Department organized the week-long workshop to equip 12 member-countries with knowledge and skills to map soil nutrients, erosion, and soil health.

30/06/2026

12 countries train to build soil mapping capacity at AFACI workshop in Thailand

Twelve member-countries were equipped with knowledge and skills to map soil nutrients, erosion, and soil health during the workshop in Bangkok, Thailand on June 22-27, 2026. Organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the host country’s Land Development Department, the week-long workshop was part of the capacity-building activities of the Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (AFACI) Soil+ project.

Soil experts from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam worked hands-on with their own national data throughout the workshop, building technical skills they can apply within their own institutions going forward.

Nutrient budget mapping took up the first two days, led by Marcos E. Angelini and Yuhao Wang. On the next day, soil erosion specialists Prof. Baoyuan Liu and Prof. Yun Xie of the International Network of Soil Erosion, along with Prof. Sheng Li, who joined online, and Luis Rodríguez-Lado, guided participants through water, wind, and tillage erosion modeling. The following day was devoted to soil health mapping under Rodríguez-Lado and Eloi Ribeiro, who introduced an approach to assessing major soil threats. The workshop concluded with Ribeiro leading sessions on publishing maps to National Soil Information Systems, followed by country presentations. The week capped off with a field trip to the Khao Hin Sorn Royal Development Study Centre and the Land Development Learning Center in Eastern Thailand, where participants observed soil rehabilitation practices firsthand.

A key outcome of the workshop was the strong interest shown by nearly all participating countries in adopting the recently developed Soil Information System, even those that already operate a system of their own. Countries committed to deploying the system (or an alternative where applicable) by August 2026. Bangladesh and Indonesia also outlined plans to eventually link their national systems to the Global Soil Information System.

In their respective presentations, the participating countries reflected on the seven-year progress under the AFACI Soil project (Phases 1 and 2), tracing their shift from fragmented, paper-based soil records toward harmonized national databases and digital soil mapping. Despite this progress, most countries acknowledged that sustaining their soil information systems will require steady funding, continued capacity building, and more dedicated experts. Indonesia, in particular, noted the need to keep raising awareness so that soil is recognized as a national issue, one that affects multiple sectors over the long term, not just agriculture.

The AFACI Soil+ project aims to help member countries turn their soil data into evidence-based agricultural planning and sustainable land management policies, contributing to broader regional goals on land degradation neutrality and climate change adaptation.

25/06/2026

"The event also featured 18 student research posters, including five product displays supported by the AFACI+ Project, showcasing innovative research and practical applications developed by students. The diversity and quality of the work on display reflected the growing contribution of student research to addressing national priorities."

24/06/2026

Happening now in Bangkok, June 22-27! FAO and Thailand’s Land Development Department are co-hosting the AFACI Soil+ Workshop.

Thirteen countries are building capacity in nutrient management, soil erosion & soil health to drive sustainable agriculture in Asia. 🌍🌾

Happening now in Bangkok, 22-27 June! FAO & Thailand’s Land Development Dept are co-hosting the AFACI Soil+ Workshop.

13 countries are building capacity in nutrient management, soil erosion & soil health to drive sustainable agriculture in Asia. 🌍🌾

19/06/2026

AFACI hosts Central Asian researchers for onion production technology training in Korea

The Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (AFACI) in collaboration with the World Vegetable Center organized the Onion Production Technology Training held on June 9–12, 2026, in Korea. Seven researchers from Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan participated in the said activity.

The six-day training aimed to provide technical knowledge on onion breeding and cultivation, as well as to strengthen research capacity and cooperation among AFACI member countries. The participants visited the National Agrobiodiversity Center at the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, where they were welcomed. During the visit, participants also presented their respective countries’ onion research and industry reports.

Senior researchers from the Allium Vegetable Research Center provided technical training on onion breeding and cultivation. Prof. Seong-gil Kim of Chonnam National University delivered a lecture on onion molecular breeding. The participants also underwent field training at onion farms in Muan, Jeollanam-do.

Additionally, the group visited the Onion and Garlic Research Institute of the Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services, as well as the Changnyeong Onion and Garlic Food Research Institute.

To gain insight into best practices and processes in South Korea’s onion industry, the participants toured several onion processing facilities, including Okban Food (onion juice production) and Good Idea Onion Noodles. They also visited Asia Seed Co., Ltd., where they learned about onion breeding and seed production.

This knowledge exchange activity is part of the project, titled Development of Onion Variety and Production Technology for Central Asian Countries, that aims to build the capacity and disseminate technologies on advanced onion breeding and cultivation.

02/06/2026

A warm welcome to our new Communication Specialist, Rena!

We look forward to working with you.

30/04/2026

My sincerest thanks to everyone who has been part of my Communication Fellowship journey.

-𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗶 𝗣𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻
𝟭𝟭𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁
𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦.