Download the summary report of this webinar here

The background

There is a legacy of small-scale farmers in Southeast Asia that prevails in the present day. However, the tenure security of this group has been threatened by the acquisition of their land, whether through formalised concessions deemed in the public interest, or procurements that take advantage of still-emerging legislation. There is much evidence that large-scale acquisitions, particularly concessions, have delivered neither the economic growth promoted by national governments, nor the profits desired by investors, be they domestic or foreign. A new interest is growing in alternative models of investment, that bring a secure footing for investors, promote sustainable practices, and are inclusive so that smallholders have an opportunity to share both in the benefits of production and also achieve secure tenure over their land.

The webinar

This webinar takes place in the frame of the County Insights initiative and marks the launch of Land Portal's new country portfolios for Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The aim is to unpack the topic of Responsible Agricultural Investment through experiences from these countries, while marking out tenure security risks for smallholders and the rural poor. In particular, the discussion will highlight new aims towards equitable and sustainable practices for land user and investor, comparing positive case examples, and challenges to promote inclusive measures.

The panel will bring examples from Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The questions

Some of the questions that this webinar will address include:

• How have land investments in each country impacted upon the land tenure security of smallholders and the rural poor?
• What are the latest interests and developments that open the door for responsible agricultural investment and the inclusion of smallholders?
• How visible and useful are the ASEAN guidelines on Responsible Agricultural Investment and other global guidelines in the country?
   

The panel

Moderator

Panelists

 

 

Ms. Chansovy Ngorn
Centre for
Policy Studies
(CPS)
Cambodia
 

 

Mr. Andiko Mancayo
Founder of
AsM
Law Office
Indonesia
 

 

 

 

Mr. Reza Azmi
Executive Director
& Founder of
Wild Asia
Malaysia
    
 

 

Rob Cole
Adviser on
Responsible
Agricultural
Investment
MRLG
 

 

• Daniel Hayward works as an international development researcher, focused on land relations, agricultural value chains, and energy transition. As well as being a Local Knowledge Engagement Coordinator for Land Portal, Daniel is the project coordinator of the Mekong Land Research Forum at Chiang Mai University, and consultant for a variety of local and international NGOs and research institutes.
• Chansovy Ngorn is a researcher and operations manager at the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) in Cambodia. Her research interests focus on modernized agricultural practices for smallholder farmers, agricultural value chains, gender and agriculture/climate change, and responsible agricultural/land governance. She is presently a researcher for the study project “Research on Agricultural Investment Business Models in Cambodia”.
• Andiko Sutan Mancayo serves as Senior Sustainability and Human Rights Lawyer in AsM Law Office. He is currently a Member of the Steering Committee on Indonesia National Climate Change Control and specializes in environmental justice. Additionally, he has worked for a range of institutions in Indonesia including the Indonesia National Forestry Council, HuMa: Association for Community and Ecologically Based Law Reform, and Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation.
• Dr Reza Azmi has a background in environmental sciences, with working experience around Asia and Africa. He is executive director and founder of Malaysia-based Wild Asia, promoting conservation and helping connect consumers, businesses and traders reduce their environmental footprint. In particular the project promotes responsible oil palm production and responsible tourism.
• Rob Cole is an adviser on Responsible Agricultural Investment for the Mekong Region Land Governance (MRLG) project, supported by SDC, BMZ and Luxembourg. MRLG works on smallholder tenure security in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. Rob's role at MRLG aims to promote 'do no harm' agribusiness investments that are mutually beneficial for farmers and investors, while protecting the land base that is vital to rural livelihoods.

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