What if the future of food in Asia isn’t something new — but something we’ve forgotten?
In this compelling session from the Global Landscapes Forum Asia Community and Action Digital Week, we explore how food systems, cultural heritage, and biodiversity are deeply connected — and why reclaiming traditional knowledge may be the key to building resilient, sustainable futures.
Hosted by Jess Roasa from the Philippines, this conversation brings together voices from across the region to rethink how Asia grows, cooks, and consumes food.
Shaik Imran, founder of Praketi Agrologix in India, shares how industrial monocultures and standardized agriculture have pushed aside traditional crops and marginalized smallholder farmers. He speaks passionately about cooperative-driven models, Indigenous knowledge, and the urgent need to build an enabling ecosystem — from policy reform to market access — that supports underutilized crops and community-led agriculture.
From Indonesia, plant-based chef and culinary creator Tamtam takes us into the heart of food biodiversity. She challenges rice dependency and highlights ingredients like coconut, millet, and sago — foods deeply rooted in culture yet often overlooked. She also addresses the environmental cost of palm oil expansion and the importance of restoring pride in traditional “poverty foods” that are nutritious, climate-resilient, and culturally meaningful.
Together, the speakers unpack powerful themes:
- Sustainable food systems in Asia
- Agroecology and biodiversity conservation
- Indigenous crops and underutilized foods
- Decolonizing food systems and resisting “gastrocolonialism”
- Women farmers and inclusive agricultural transitions
- Community-led cooperatives and equitable livelihoods
- Climate-resilient agriculture and diversified nutrition
The discussion reveals how food is more than sustenance — it is identity, memory, resistance, and survival. Industrial food systems may promise efficiency, but they often erode biodiversity, cultural heritage, and farmer dignity. This session calls for a shift toward diverse, culturally rooted, plant-based food systems that nourish both landscapes and communities.
If you’re interested in food sovereignty, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, climate action, agroecology, or the future of Asian food systems, this conversation offers grounded insight and hopeful direction.
Because transforming food systems is not just about what’s on the plate — it’s about who controls the land, whose knowledge is valued, and whose voices are heard
