Part 6/9:
Across Southeast Asia, community-led efforts are spearheading the revival of traditional crops and sustainable farming techniques. In the Philippines, farmers like Darius Gango test indigenous rice varieties such as PB 402, which is flood-resistant and drought-tolerant. These varieties outperform their modern counterparts in resilience, offering a pathway to sustainable food security amidst climate volatility.
In Indonesia, collaborative networks facilitate seed exchanges and promote organic, regenerative farming practices. Hel Anti Hillman, a former lawyer turned advocate, works with farmers to reintroduce native plants and traditional multi-cropping systems—methods that improve soil health and reduce dependency on chemical inputs.