AKP Phnom Penh, August 25, 2026 -- The National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia on Tuesday officially convened the ASEAN Responsible Agricultural Investment (ASEAN-RAI) Forum in Phnom Penh, bringing together regional lawmakers and international experts to address urgent climate risks and strengthen food security.

Organised in collaboration with the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Secretariat and supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the two-day event (Aug. 25-26) was presided over by Kitti Sethapundit Cheam Yeap, First Vice-President of the National Assembly, representing National Assembly President Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary.

Parliamentarians from across the ASEAN region, alongside officials from line ministries, international development partners, and private-sector representatives, declared that climate change is no longer a future threat, but an immediate crisis requiring urgent, coordinated action across Southeast Asia.

To counter climate disruptions while safeguarding regional food supplies, forum delegates outlined three core strategic priorities:

Strengthening Governance and Transparency: Establishing robust institutional frameworks to ensure accountability and clarity in agricultural investment processes.

Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture: Promoting resilient, adaptive farming techniques designed to withstand shifting climate conditions.

Deploying Modern Agritech: Leveraging innovation and technological solutions to maximise production efficiency while protecting natural resources.

Discussions and technical exchanges across the two-day session aim to turn political commitments into concrete outcomes. Organisers emphasised that the primary mission of the forum is to ensure agricultural investments deliver direct benefits to local communities, improve farmers' livelihoods, generate employment, and build a sustainable, long-term regional food system.

By K. Rithy Reak