The ASEAN Farmers’ Organisation Support Programme (AFOSP) was a collaborative initiative led by the ASEAN Foundation, supported by the European Union and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Implemented as part of the Foundation’s mandate to address socio-economic disparities and enhance regional development, the programme aimed to improve the livelihoods and food security of smallholder farmers and rural producers across ASEAN.

Commencing in 2015, the Foundation’s involvement under AFOSP focused on promoting inclusive policy dialogues and strengthening interactions between farmer organisations and ASEAN institutions. The programme served as a strategic conduit to energise the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint by facilitating regional engagement, enhancing agricultural awareness, and promoting participatory governance.

Throughout its implementation, the ASEAN Foundation worked closely with key stakeholders, including the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development and La Via Campesina. It engaged with relevant ASEAN sectoral bodies such as the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry and the ASEAN Ministers on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication.

The programme’s highlights were, among others, the creation of ASEAN 101 and ASEAN Good Agricultural Practice and fostering connections with institutions like the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Centre for the Development of Agricultural Cooperatives. The programme also enabled exchange visits and participation in ASEAN policy forums, promoting the inclusion of farmers in regional policy processes.