The ASEAN FAW Action Plan (2020-2025)
The ASEAN IPM Action Plan (2026-2030)
Introduction Phase 2
The ASEAN Action Plan on Fall Armyworm and Integrated Pest Management (ASEAN FAW Action Plan) was a regional-wide strategy adopted by ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry on 21 October 2020. It was developed in response to the rapid spread of Fall Armyworm across Southeast Asia (the pest was first officially reported in the region in late 2018). Because FAW is a transboundary pest that does not respect national borders, a coordinated regional response was essential. The Action Plan provided a framework for stakeholder collaboration, combining monitoring, management, research, and communication across countries. Under the plan, a dedicated governance structure was established, the ASEAN FAW Taskforce, which brings together governments, research bodies, farmer organisations, and private-sector actors.
Goals and Work Programmes
The ASEAN FAW Action Plan had 3 overarching goals:
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Reduce FAW-induced crop losses and the associated livelihood impacts, especially among smallholder farmers.
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Promote sustainable and cost-effective integrated pest management (IPM) practices across the region.
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Drive coordinated and effective multi-stakeholder communication and cooperation among countries.
To operationalise these goals, the Plan had seven thematic work programmes: Biocontrol; Resistance Management; Drones and Digital IPM; IPM Leaders; Monitoring and Surveillance; and Farmer Communication & Action.
A “Knowledge & Innovation Hub” was also created to foster information exchange throughout Southeast Asia and better connect researchers, policymakers, extension services, farmers and private sector partners.
Find out more about how Southeast Asia responded to the FAW over the last five years...(to be published soon)
ASEAN Bioinnovation and IPM Action Plan (2026-2030)
Introduction Phase 2
The ASEAN Bioinnovation & IPM Action Plan (ASEAN IPM Action Plan) represents the next chapter in the region’s collective effort to strengthen plant-health security and protect farmers’ livelihoods in an era of rapidly changing risks. Building on the achievements of the ASEAN Fall Armyworm (FAW) Action Plan (2020–2025), which engaged more than 70,000 stakeholders and advanced regional capacity in biocontrol, diagnostics, gender-inclusive IPM, and digital surveillance, this new Phase 2 initiative expands the vision to a broader portfolio of high-priority transboundary pests and diseases affecting maize, palm, vegetables, fruit, and root crops across Southeast Asia.
The ASEAN IPM Action Plan introduces a strengthened, forward-looking framework that integrates biological control, genomics, drones, AI, resistance management, gender-responsive leadership, farmer-centred learning, and ecosystem-based approaches into a regional strategy. ASEAN remains at the core, while collaboration expands to partner countries across Asia and the Pacific to jointly address shared plant-health risks and manage pathways of pest and disease spread.
Goals and Work Programmes
The ASEAN IPM Action Plan has 5 overarching goals:
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Reduce crop losses and enhance farmer livelihoods
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Promote cost-effective and sustainable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices.
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Foster coordinated transboundary multi-stakeholder action.
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Support climate-resilient and nature-positive farming systems
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Advance gender-responsive and farmer-centred approaches in plant health, pest and disease management.
The Plan has eight thematic work programmes:
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Monitoring, Diagnostic and Genomics
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Biocontrol
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Resistance Management
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Drones, AI and Digital IPM Intelligence
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IPM Leaders
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Farmer Behaviour & Communication
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Climate & Ecosystem Considerations
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Knowledge & Innovation Hub
The ASEAN Bioinnovation & IPM Action Plan positions the region to proactively manage current and emerging pest threats while accelerating the transition toward safer, more resilient and sustainable food systems. It retains the strong networks and momentum built under Phase 1, while opening a new pathway for innovation, partnerships, and regional leadership in plant-health security.
ASEAN FAW Taskforce
The high-level governance group of the Action Plan.
Chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Viet Nam, the ASEAN FAW Taskforce is made up of Members of the ASEAN Expert Working Group on Phytosanitary Measures, along with representatives from the private sector, farmers' organisations and the research sector.
