Putrajaya, 4–5 March 2025: The ASEAN Guidelines on the Reduction of Crop Burning, adopted at the 46th ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) Meeting in October 2024, provide a regional framework for policymaking to curb open-field crop residue burning – a contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. To support the implementation of these guidelines, ERIA conducted a case study on crop burning reduction alongside research on financing related projects.

As a follow-up, ERIA co-hosted the ‘Knowledge-Sharing Event on Crop Burning and Biochar Among ASEAN Member States’ and the ‘Wrap-Up Event for the Project on Promoting Crop Insurance in ASEAN’ on 4–5 March 2025, in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat and other partners. The event gathered government officials from ASEAN Member States (AMS), including Timor-Leste, as well as representatives from international organisations, the private sector, and other key stakeholders. Discussions focused on raising awareness and gathering feedback on crop burning reduction initiatives, including biochar and financial support schemes.

Dr Pham Quang Minh, Head of the Food, Agriculture, and Forestry Division at the ASEAN Secretariat, opened the event by underscoring crop burning reduction as a priority for lowering carbon emissions. He stressed the need for improved regulation across ASEAN and expressed appreciation for ERIA’s continued support in implementing the guidelines. He highlighted that ERIA’s case study and this knowledge-sharing event would provide AMS with valuable insights for developing more effective policies.

Dr Kentaro Yamada, ERIA’s Policy Fellow, discussed the complexities of achieving sustainable agriculture in a world marked by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). He emphasised that addressing crop burning, biochar, and crop insurance requires strategic foresight and adaptability. He also presented an overview of the study explaining crop burning has been recognized as an issue impacting the environment, public health, and the economy. While there is no universal solution, he noted that ERIA’s case study offers good practices and lessons learned from various AMS.

ERIA’s country consultants from Indonesia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam shared insights from their questionnaire surveys, outlining the current status, expectations, and recommendations for promoting crop burning reduction. Dr Yamada then introduced financial schemes for addressing crop burning and discussed potential applications and challenges. He proposed the following policy recommendations:

1. Context-Specific Financial Schemes – Tailor approaches to diverse regional contexts instead of applying a one-size-fits-all model.
2. Inventory and Taxonomy Development – Establish a structured system to effectively promote financial schemes.
3. Short- and Long-Term Strategies – Implement immediate interventions while developing sustainable long-term solutions.
4. Integration with Broader Initiatives – Align financial schemes with domestic and international initiatives for crop burning reduction.
5. Technology Feasibility Assessment – Evaluate costs and benefits before implementing technology transfers.
6. Robust Monitoring and Evaluation – Develop immediate detection and information-sharing systems.

Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, ERIA’s Senior Research Fellow for Innovation, presented on ‘Climate-Smart Finance and Zero-Emission Strategies’, noting that biomass burning accounts for approximately 14% of agriculture-related carbon emissions. He emphasised that climate-smart agriculture can help ASEAN achieve its net-zero targets while supporting sustainable development. Additionally, he highlighted the potential of carbon markets and climate finance in reducing the costs of emissions reduction, bridging financial gaps, and increasing participation from investors and small-scale farmers.

The 2-day workshop featured in-depth discussions on crop burning reduction, biochar implementation, and crop insurance promotion in ASEAN. It served as a platform to align strategies, enhance capacity-building, and strengthen regional cooperation in advancing climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture – reinforcing ERIA’s commitment to supporting ASEAN’s agricultural development.