Small-scale farmers in Asia share knowledge to build climate resilience

Phonekeo Vangna, from the Lao PDR Farmer’s Network, says farmers have had to learn new ways of planting and caring for crops.

“We need to find ways to cultivate rice which reduces the amount of water in farming,” she says. “Some farmers are doing this already; reducing chemical fertilizers and using more compost made from available materials that are easy to find.”

Other farmers discussed working across the season in ways that follow unpredictable rainfall variations, making use of wild plants, working the land harder and diversifying their livelihoods.

For Sonintsetseg, this means checking the weather app on her phone up to five times a day and starting an apiary.

“We now have 36 beehives,” she says. “Every month, we move the beehive to different places where there are beautiful flowers. We collect around 400 kilograms of honey every year.”

In addition to exploring adaptation methods, the workshop also created an open space for collaboration and engagement between small holder farmers across Asia.

“Many countries are affected by climate change,” Vangna says. “During the workshop, we had a chance to hear what other countries were doing and how they adapt to the changing climate.”

“I learned many new practices from other countries,” Sonintsetseg says. “Especially from SEWA [Self Employed Women’s Association based in Ahmedabad, India]. I like that they use cow dung as fertilizer.

“I also understood for the first time how important land is to family farmers. In Mongolia, it is not very difficult to own and use land. So I was surprised to hear of the land problems happening in other Asian countries.”

According to the Farmer and Forest Producers’ Organizations Declaration for COP27 and Beyond, small-scale food producers, forest dwellers and Indigenous Peoples have developed sustainable agriculture and innovative food systems for centuries. Through organic and regenerative agriculture practices, land and soil are restored, biodiversity is protected, pollination is promoted, and habitats are preserved.

These diverse, traditional and indigenous foods and knowledge are solutions to adapt to climate change and transition to a healthier food system.

“So from now on, I will work my land environmentally friendly forever,” Sonintsetseg says. “I realize the importance of land and how it is my wealth and how we are very lucky.”