21-24 August 2023

The Mekong Young Farmer Exchange occurred from August 21st to 24th, 2023, at the Slowlife Farmstay in Maerim, Chiang Mai, Thailand. It was a collaboration between GRAIN, Project Sevana, and TOA. There were 21 participants and five interpreters from six countries (Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam).

Participants from the Mekong region joined an exchange program that focused on agroecology. They discussed various topics such as food sovereignty, challenges faced by young farmers, and the climate crisis. The participants also visited the Maetha Community, where they saw successful transitions to organic farming.

The group identified agroecology as a transformative approach to address climate change effectively. They discussed promoting agroecology within communities to diversify farming systems and preserve traditional practices. At the regional level, they emphasized collaborative actions among young farmers and comprehensive training to strengthen resilience against challenges like climate change and large-scale investments.

Young Farmers Online Exchange (co-organized with MAEW)

The co-organizers planned a discussion on young farmers in Mekong-ASEAN Environmental Week on 22 September 2023 to follow up on the exchange.

Mekong-ASEAN Environmental Week (MAEW) is a regional public platform started in 2019 by various national and regional groups to promote deeper exchange among community and civil society groups on natural resources issues and large-scale investments’ environmental, social, and human rights impacts.