Asia's agriculture sector is well positioned for growth but must speed up its efforts to improve nutrient efficiency, adopt climate-smart practices and strengthen supply-chain resilience in view of mounting climate and market challenges, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Asia-Pacific senior officer, Yubak Dhoj GC, said at the International Fertilizer Association's Crossroads 2026 conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand, today.
The fertilizer industry is crucial to supporting sustainable agricultural growth, not only through supplying fertilizers but also by providing innovative solutions that improve nutrient-use efficiency, support soil health and contribute to climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, GC said.
Climate change poses a significant risk to the agriculture sector. It is one of the sector's most pressing sustainability challenges, underscoring the need to reduce the use of land, water, nutrients and energy while increasing food production.
Recent market disruptions such as the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Black Sea, logistical bottlenecks and extreme weather events have made global food supply chains more vulnerable. Ensuring continued access to seeds, fertilizers, energy, finance and agricultural markets during periods of disruption is critical, because lost planting seasons cannot be easily recovered, GC said.
On top of governmental support, farmers and industry need to collaborate better to build agricultural resilience against climate change and market disruptions, GC said. This requires investment in agricultural and rural infrastructure, as well as the technologies that are essential to this goal.
Despite growing challenges, the outlook for the region's agriculture sector remains positive, GC said. Climate risks, resource constraints, market volatility and geopolitical uncertainty are reshaping the operating environment, but Asia-Pacific will still remain a major contributor to global agricultural growth over the coming decade.
