Indonesia’s agricultural sector is one of Southeast Asia’s most promising investment opportunities, valued at US$43.9 billion in 2024 and projected to reach US$56.3 billion by 2033. Yet the country faces deep structural challenges that threaten long-term food security. Fragmented smallholder farming, climate risks, supply chain inefficiencies and persistent financial exclusion create vulnerabilities across the food system.

A new extensive report by Foundry Collective, released in Jakarta on Wednesday, argues that the key to overcoming these weaknesses lies in one central force: technology. Its analysis highlights how digital innovation and new business models can build food resilience in Indonesia through a three-part framework known as the 3R Pathways: Robustness, Recovery and Reorientation.

These pathways envision a food system that is stronger, quicker to bounce back and capable of transforming itself for long-term sustainability.

The report likens food resilience to preparing a boat for rough seas. Robustness is strengthening the hull before departure, Recovery is the ability to respond quickly when the storm hits and Reorientation is redesigning the ship for the future.

Applied to Indonesian agriculture, each phase shows how technology can enable efficiency, stability and innovation.

Building Robustness: Strengthening production at the farm level

The first pathway, Robustness, focuses on reinforcing the foundation of Indonesia’s food system: its farms. Most of Indonesia’s farmers are smallholders, often operating with limited resources and traditional methods. Technology offers tools to increase productivity, optimise resource use and better prepare farmers for climate change.

Also Read: From agritech to AI ops: 15 startups driving Philippines’s innovation shift (Part 2)

Precision agriculture plays a central role in this shift. AI-driven farming systems use real-time data to guide decisions on fertiliser use, irrigation timing and pest control.

Studies referenced in the report show that precision agriculture can lead to substantial gains: up to 27.6 per cent water savings, 57 per cent energy savings and higher crop yields. These measurable efficiencies demonstrate how digital tools directly contribute to food resilience in Indonesia.

Smart farming and IoT technologies further enhance farm operations. IoT sensors enable precision irrigation through reducing water usage by 20 to 60 per cent–a critical advantage in areas vulnerable to drought. Drone technology can lower chemical use by up to 40 per cent, while automation and robotics help bridge labour shortages that have challenged the sector for years.

The Indonesian government is also pushing for agricultural modernisation through mechanisation and digital farming programmes. Its strategy includes strengthening research and development, particularly in biotech, resilient seeds and post-harvest technologies. These efforts signal growing national recognition that resilience begins with tech-ready farms.

Enhancing Recovery: Using tech to withstand disruptions

Indonesia’s food supply chains face frequent disruptions, whether from climate events, transport bottlenecks or logistical inefficiencies. The Recovery pathway focuses on building the capacity to bounce back quickly when shocks occur.

Digital supply chains form the backbone of this strategy. Supply chain digitisation and traceability tools enable real-time monitoring of inventory, demand and product movements. This data helps redirect goods during disruptions, prevents stockouts and supports crisis response. Traceability systems, which track produce from farm to table, also make it easier to identify and address issues rapidly.

Logistics optimisation technologies—including route planning algorithms, warehouse-as-a-service platforms and IoT monitoring for perishables—help reduce losses and improve distribution. These tools are vital in a country where post-harvest losses remain high due to inadequate infrastructure.

Also Read: The agritech challenge in Indonesia: Can AI and mobile apps enhance productivity?

The report emphasises the importance of cold chain tech, particularly solar-powered cold storage, smart warehouses and modular units. These innovations stabilise supply and reduce spoilage, ensuring that perishable goods remain market-ready even during disruptions.

Another key component is digital surplus redistribution. Via digital dashboards, food can be redirected efficiently during supply shocks, reducing waste and improving supply stability across communities.

Together, these technologies strengthen the country’s ability to absorb shocks and maintain food availability, reinforcing the broader goal of food resilience in Indonesia.

Driving Reorientation: Transforming the food system for the long term

The Reorientation pathway looks beyond immediate challenges toward building a future-proof food system. This phase focuses on circularity, sustainability and the transformation of waste into value.

Indonesia generates large volumes of food waste, much of which can be repurposed. Technology enables this through innovations in waste-to-value systems, including composting, bioenergy and waste-to-feed solutions. The report highlights Black Soldier Fly (BSF) bio-conversion as one proven approach. BSF larvae convert organic waste into nutrient-rich animal feed, supporting a circular, regenerative food economy.

Digital tools also contribute to long-term system transformation. Digital dashboards and climate zone management tech allow policymakers and businesses to track environmental shifts, resource flows and emissions. These insights inform decision-making and long-term planning, ensuring that future food systems are more resilient, efficient and sustainable.

Closing the financial gap: Agri-fintech and digital marketplaces

Beyond production and logistics, tech also helps solve one of Indonesia’s biggest structural issues: the financial exclusion of smallholder farmers. Limited access to capital restricts investment in modern tools, seeds and machinery.

Also Read: Why agritech is the key to Asia’s food security

Agri-fintech solutions address this gap through digital lending platforms, which provide microloans for input purchases via crowdfunding; mobile payments, which reduce cash risks and build financial histories; and weather-indexed insurance, which offers automatic payouts during climate events. These tools give farmers the financial stability needed to adopt new practices and withstand shocks.

Digital marketplaces also strengthen food resilience in Indonesia by improving market access. From direct-to-consumer platforms to B2B supply chain networks, technology connects farmers directly with buyers, increases price transparency and reduces inefficiencies.

Tech as the foundation of Indonesia’s food future

The Foundry Collective report makes one conclusion clear: technology is not merely a tool for optimisation. It is the fundamental building block of a resilient, sovereign food system. By deploying technology across the 3R Pathways—strengthening farms, stabilising supply chains and transforming waste—Indonesia can build a food system ready for the challenges of the future.

In a world of rising climate risks and global uncertainty, food resilience in Indonesia depends on how quickly and effectively the country can embrace digital innovation. The potential is vast, and with strategic investment and coordinated action, technology can help secure a stable and sustainable food future for the nation.

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Image Credit: Qonita Afnani Firdaus on Unsplash

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The Southeast Asian tech ecosystem demonstrated formidable resilience in November 2025, recording a total funding injection of US$328 million across 21 documented rounds.

This robust figure represents a staggering 203.7 per cent increase compared to November 2024 and marks a substantial month-on-month growth of 21.91 per cent compared to October 2025.

Also Read: SEA startup investments rise for second month, totalling US$287M in Oct

The data from Tracxn highlights a significant concentration of capital efficiency, revealing that the top 10 recorded deals alone accounted for approximately 81.43 per cent of the total funding secured for the month.

Stage-wise distribution reveals early-stage momentum

While the US$328 million total was dispersed across 21 individual funding rounds, an analysis of the deal volume reveals that investors are keenly focused on nurturing scaling startups.

Of the 21 recorded rounds for November 2025, the early stage accounted for the highest volume, securing 10 rounds, representing approximately 47.62 per cent of the total deal count. Seed-stage activity followed closely, registering eight rounds (approximately 38.10 per cent). Late-stage rounds constituted the remainder, securing three rounds (approximately 14.28 per cent).

The high volume of early-stage and seed-stage deals indicates sustained investor confidence in the pipeline of new ventures across the region. With US$328 million raised across 21 rounds, the average deal size for November stands at approximately US$15.62 million.

Top deals concentrate capital; Ampersand leads the charge

November 2025’s substantial funding total was buoyed by several significant individual raises, illustrating a ‘power law’ distribution where the largest deals contribute the bulk of the capital.

Ampersand topped the funding charts for November, securing a massive US$80 million round. Close behind, Roojai attracted US$60 million, and Olares successfully raised US$45 million.

Other notable transactions included Moladin, which secured US$35 million, and Paywatch, which bagged US$20 million.

Rounding out the top ten were: Transcelestial (US$9.7 million), LightSpeed Photonics (US$6.5 million), FeedMe (US$5 million), OneLot (US$3.3 million), and Anomaly Bio (US$2.6 million).

In total, these ten documented companies successfully raised US$267.1 million, which is calculated to be over 81 per cent of the US$328 million total recorded for November 2025.

VC activity and funding volatility analysis

Several prominent venture capital firms were active across Southeast Asia during the period. SEEDS Capital was among the most active, participating in two rounds, specifically those for Transcelestial and Moon Technologies.

Other key investors cited include Asia Partners, which participated in a round for Roojai, and the SMBC Asia Rising Fund, which backed Wiz AI. Walden Catalyst was also identified as an active VC during the month.

Also Read: What drives Filipino founders? A deep dive into the 2025 startup report

When placing November’s performance within the 12-month funding trend, it appears robust compared to the region’s funding troughs but still modest compared to outlier spikes. Over the past year (December 2024 to November 2025), monthly funding totals have exhibited extreme volatility, ranging from sharp lows of US$92 million (February 2025) and US$99 million (August 2025), to massive spikes of US$1.7 billion (December 2024) and US$1.7 billion (July 2025).

The November total of US$328 million signifies a solid recovery from the recent dip seen in August, September (US$231 million), and October (US$269 million).

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Sometimes life takes us where we never plan to go. My journey into the creator economy was one such surprise.

In January 2025, a few close friends and I met at our usual spot to celebrate turning sixty. Jalil, Jai, and Chin Leong have known me since childhood. The evening began like all our other gatherings, filled with laughter, food, and easy talk. Then Jai asked, “What are we doing with the rest of our lives?”

We fell silent. Each of us had worked hard, raised families, and saved for retirement. Yet none of us had really thought about what came next.

The simple plan

“We should give back to society,” Vincent said.

That set us thinking. We talked about volunteering, helping the elderly, or supporting environmental causes. Then Jai mentioned education. The table went quiet.

We all knew why. Each of us owed our lives to it. I was the first in my family to go to university. Chin Leong’s parents sold vegetables to pay his school fees. Jalil studied in a one-room flat with five siblings and still completed polytechnic. Jai, too, came from humble beginnings and knew the power of education.

Education had lifted us from struggle to stability. Without it, we would not have been sitting there that night.

“That is what we should do,” Jai said. “Help children get the education we were lucky to have.”

It was decided. We would set up an Education Trust for underprivileged children and give ourselves five years to plan it well.

My own beginning

Five years felt long, and I wanted to begin right away.

I had always enjoyed writing. After retirement, I promised myself I would finally put the stories in my head onto paper. I brought my plan forward. What if my writing could help a few children go to school?

I knew nothing about publishing. I searched online and found a maze of new terms. Print on demand, ISBN numbers, Amazon KDP. It felt like learning a whole new world.

Also Read: Laws, capitalism, creators and AI

Learning as I went

My first attempt was messy. The formatting broke, the cover looked poor, and the description was too short. But people online were kind. In forums, strangers answered my questions. YouTube became my Guru. Slowly, I learned.

My first book, I Am the River: A Story of Singapore Before Singapore, came from childhood memories. I had seen the river change from a polluted canal into a lively part of the city. The writing was rough, but it was mine.

To my surprise, it sold more than a hundred copies. When the National Library Board accepted it into its collection, I felt deeply moved. My book was now in the same library where I once studied.

Encouraged, I wrote Black Swan, White Swan. My children helped design the cover. I worked on a better description. It was launched on 24 October 2025 and sold more than fifty copies. The National Library has agreed to take two print editions and the digital version.

Each sale meant more than money. It meant real help for a child’s education.

Whenever a copy was sold, I thought of that evening with my friends. Maybe this was how our Education Trust would begin, one small effort at a time.

The technology struggle

No one warned me how much technology comes with writing. I began with Word, then tried a program called Scrivener. I opened it, stared at it for an hour, and quietly went back to Word.

Amazon KDP seemed simple until I reached the tax section. W-8BEN, EIN, TIN. After hours of confusion, I found that most of it did not apply to me.

Social media was another challenge. My son created an Instagram account for me. “Post regularly, Pa,” he said. I posted once, forgot the password, and ended up with two accounts and one lonely photo.

Marketing puzzled me even more. I listed The Singapore River under History and wondered why no one found it. Later, I learned about sub-categories and something called algorithms. I still do not fully understand them.

What came next

I thought I was just writing books. Then my daughter told me I was part of the creator economy. I laughed, but she was right.

I am not trying to be famous. I only want to write stories and help children. But I have learned that even simple dreams need modern tools.

The best part is meeting others like me. Retired teachers writing textbooks, engineers sharing their knowledge, grandmothers publishing recipe books. We are all learning together, fumbling through the same tools, and cheering one another on.

Also Read: The evolution of influence: The next chapter of creator leadership

Small steps forward

Ten months later, I have two published books and more than 150 sales, along with recognition from the National Library. The money raised has helped a few children. It may not be much, but it matters.

My friends and I are still working on the Education Trust. We have met several times, drafted papers, and even argued over the name. Setting it up is harder than we thought. There are forms, rules, and new terms to learn. But we are making progress, one meeting at a time.

What I learned

We are not special people, just a group of old friends who believe we should give back. There must be many others like us, people with time, experience, and a desire to help.

We may never build the next big business or master every new technology, but we can still create small things that matter.

My books may never top charts. Our Trust may help dozens, not thousands. But that is enough. A few children getting a chance to study is worth it.

A gentle invitation

If you want to do something meaningful but feel unsure about technology, you are not alone. I still ask my children how to post a photo.

Start small. Start unsure. Start anyway.

Ten months ago, I was just turning sixty. Today, I have published two books and a small project helping children stay in school. I am now working on my third book and still learning every day.

Not bad for someone who once had to search online to find out what KDP stood for.

Along the way, I discovered something larger than writing. I had built a small, independent publishing ecosystem of my own. Every book I release, every page I design, and every conversation I start online adds to it.

My journey is less about selling books and more about proving that one storyteller, using today’s digital tools, can build meaningful cultural bridges, one story at a time.

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Asian universities are racing to integrate AI across their campuses, with Hong Kong and Singapore moving fastest through bold, multi-million-dollar initiatives that are already redefining how students learn and how industries hire.

From Singapore’s financial hub to Vietnam’s fast-growing consumer markets and Malaysia’s industrial corridors, AI is no longer just a tool for technologists. It’s becoming the foundation of how Asia trains the next wave of digital talent and a key advantage in the global education race.

Hong Kong’s early lead: Turning policy into practice

Few places are moving as quickly as Hong Kong. The University Grants Committee (UGC) has launched a territory-wide Community of Practice on Generative AI in Education, chaired by Prof. Cecilia K. Y. Chan from the University of Hong Kong (HKU).

“AI isn’t just transforming Asia’s top universities; it’s reshaping education at every level, from primary schools to professional learning,” says Chan. “Every university and school is engaging with AI in some capacity. We see it as a future skill, one that’s evolving so rapidly that if we don’t prepare students and educators now, we’ll fall behind.”

Chan, who bridges engineering and education, says the real shift is in mindset. “This isn’t about letting students use AI freely without responsibility. It’s about educators understanding its potential, its limits, and its ethical impact. AI is already automating assessment and personalising learning, but our job is to ensure it enhances, not replaces, critical thinking and creativity.”

Collaborative by design

What sets Hong Kong apart is coordination. “Unlike many regions still debating AI’s role in education, Hong Kong has taken decisive action,” Chan says.

The UGC’s Community of Practice brings together public universities, private institutions, and industry partners to build frameworks for responsible AI use. “We’re not just hosting workshops,” she explains. “We’re shaping policy and rethinking assessment for a world where AI can generate an essay in seconds.”

Chan also leads the Generative AI Assessment Project (GAP), a network of over 500 members worldwide focused on practical solutions for evaluating students in the AI era. “It’s about developing guidelines, tools, and literacy programs that make AI integration responsible and effective,” she says.

At HKU, her team has launched AI Clinics for teachers, AI literacy courses, and an AI Expo connecting educators and startups. Beyond universities, they work with Hong Kong’s Education Bureau Science Division to train school teachers. “We want readiness at every level — school, university, and workforce,” Chan adds.

Also Read: The future of work is here: The role of edutech in an AI-ready workforce

Singapore: A workforce-ready model

In Singapore, the National University of Singapore (NUS) is taking a whole-of-institution approach.

“NUS prepares graduates to thrive in the digital economy,” says an NUS spokesperson. “AI is now embedded across our curriculum, from data analysis and problem-solving to innovation in healthcare and finance.”

Since 2020, NUS has revamped more than 130 courses to integrate AI across disciplines. It has also rolled out ethics frameworks, faculty forums, and internal AI policies to ensure that adoption comes with accountability. The goal is to turn every graduate into a future-ready problem solver who can apply AI in any field.

Vietnam and Malaysia catch up

Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, universities are moving fast to close the gap.

At RMIT University Vietnam, a proprietary AI system called Val was developed to safeguard academic data. “Inputs aren’t shared with OpenAI or any external organisation,” says Sasha Stubbs, Manager of Learning Design. “It lets us innovate without compromising privacy.”

In Malaysia, the University of Malaya (UM) faces a more cultural challenge. “We must ensure both students and faculty are equipped to use AI responsibly,” says Dr. Aznul, highlighting the tension between technological acceleration and educational tradition.

These parallel efforts reflect a region scaling AI literacy while staying true to local educational values, a balance that’s becoming central to Asia’s global positioning.

From lecture halls to boardrooms

The private sector is already feeling the ripple effects of universities’ AI push, and it’s transforming how companies operate.

“At Maestro Equity Partners, we’ve seen how AI is transforming both investment operations and portfolio management,” says Giovanni Zangani, Founder and Managing Partner. “In the past, our team’s time was heavily split between back-office tasks, investor relations, and post-investment work. With AI tools now supporting HR management, data reporting, and analytics, we’ve been able to shift much more of our bandwidth toward value creation. It’s allowed us to focus on what truly matters, the strategic growth and operational excellence of our F&B and consumer brands.”

Also Read: In this age of digitalisation, is edutech a bane or boon for educators?

AI is also reshaping how Maestro supports its portfolio companies. “In brick-and-mortar retail and F&B networks, site selection and pricing decisions that used to take weeks can now be completed in hours through AI-assisted predictive analytics,” Zangani adds. “This not only improves accuracy but also empowers management teams to make faster, more data-driven decisions.”

For Zangani, this new efficiency highlights a shift in workforce dynamics. “The new generation of graduates is entering the workforce with capabilities that didn’t exist five years ago. They can harness AI in analysis, communication, and decision-making, becoming productive much faster. What we look for today are people with strong business judgment and leadership, because in markets like Vietnam, where data can be limited, sound judgment still drives performance. AI amplifies capability, but human insight remains the foundation.”

Challenges: Integrity, equity, and ethics

The rush to adopt AI also brings new challenges. A recent 2025 State of Higher Education report found that in Australia and New Zealand, only 54 per cent of students believe their universities are preparing them for an AI-powered future, even as 74 per cent of educators claim they are. That confidence gap is emerging across Asia, too.

“AI can personalise learning and automate grading, but without clear guidelines, it risks over-reliance and diminished critical thinking,” Chan warns. “Universities need structured strategies — policies, AI literacy programs, and responsible assessment design — to ensure AI supports, not replaces, human learning.”

She’s explored this in her work on AI Guilt, AI-Giarism, and GenAI in Higher Education: The ChatGPT Effect, arguing that the focus shouldn’t be East vs West. “It’s not about copying Western models or defending Asian ones. It’s about a global effort to harness technology responsibly while respecting cultural context.”

Why this matters for Asia’s future workforce

Across Asia, the race to integrate AI into higher education isn’t just academic; it’s about future-proofing the region’s talent pipeline.

Graduates from AI-forward institutions like NUS, HKU, and RMIT are entering the workforce ready to design, manage, and evaluate AI systems. For investors and founders, this means a new generation of professionals fluent in both data and judgment, the dual currencies of the modern economy.

As Chan puts it, “The question isn’t whether AI will shape education, it already has. The real question is whether we can shape AI’s role in a way that strengthens creativity, authenticity, and human connection.”

Asia’s education edge

The next year will be pivotal. Governments and universities are moving from pilot projects to institutional policy, and the divide between early adopters and laggards is widening fast.

Asia’s education systems, long known for discipline and rigour, now have a chance to lead in something new: agility. If the region gets it right, its classrooms could become the blueprint for how the world learns in the age of intelligent machines.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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As conscious consumerism rises, people are finding it harder to trust environmental claims. Labels like “eco-friendly,” “carbon neutral,” “reduce carbon footprint,” “100 per cent traceability to plantation,” or “sustainable” are everywhere. But a lot of these claims don’t have third-party certification or proof behind them, so they end up sounding vague or even misleading.

Words like “environmentally friendly” don’t mean much without real evidence, and sometimes companies highlight a “plant-based” cap while the rest of the packaging is still just regular plastic, which only adds to the confusion. If brands want to be credible, broad claims like “sustainable” should be backed up with transparent data about materials, production, and certifications.

The European Commission found that 53 per cent of green claims are vague, misleading, or unfounded, and 40 per cent don’t have supporting evidence. This growing gap between what brands say and what they actually do has eroded public trust. It’s getting harder for people to tell the difference between real sustainability efforts and corporate greenwashing. Because of this, credibility is now one of the most valuable but fragile assets in sustainability communication.

The era of ‘false green promises’ is ending

By 2025, the landscape of sustainability communications has fundamentally shifted. For PR, brand, and marketing professionals, this is no longer about telling “nice environmental stories” but about demonstrating traceable impact. Every green claim must now be verifiable, backed by data traceable to its origin, and independently certified. The future of brand trust will belong to those who can prove, not just promise, their environmental responsibility.

In global agriculture and food, being authentic, traceable, verifiable, and accountable are now must-haves for communication. I’ve noticed a clear shift this year—from just telling stories to actually proving them. This change is being driven by new rules, higher expectations from stakeholders, market pressure, and new traceability technology across supply chains. Brands are now expected not just to tell good sustainability stories, but to back them up with clear, verifiable data.

Across Asia Pacific’s agrifood industries, from Indonesia’s palm oil, cocoa, and coffee to Vietnam’s timber, Thailand’s rubber, and the Philippines’ coconut, businesses are realising that credibility can no longer rely on words alone. The expectation for traceable, data-backed sustainability claims has become the new norm. For professionals in Public Relations (PR) and brand communications, this marks a defining shift: success now depends on proving impact rather than promoting intent, and on demonstrating measurable progress.

Also Read: The agritech challenge in Indonesia: Can AI and mobile apps enhance productivity?

To reinforce this shift, the European Union has introduced the green claims Directive, an initiative designed to ensure that environmental and circularity claims are reliable, comparable, and verifiable. By amending the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, this law aims to curb greenwashing and empower consumers through the Green Transition, promoting transparency, accountability, and fair competition among genuinely sustainable businesses.

With 94 per cent of Europeans saying that protecting the environment is personally important and 68 per cent acknowledging that their consumption habits harm the planet, the need for trustworthy, verifiable sustainability information has never been greater. This moment represents more than a regulatory turning point; it’s a cultural one, where consumers, brands, and communicators must collectively shift from believing in good intentions to demanding proven impact.

How regulation and technology are rewriting the rules of PR in sustainable agriculture

Regulation and technology are coming together to create a turning point for sustainable agriculture—one that brings both challenges and opportunities. If brands and agribusinesses can show real, credible sustainability, they can reach better markets, build investor trust, and make their supply chains stronger. But the time for easy, feel-good sustainability messaging is over. Companies that stick with nice-sounding slogans and don’t back them up with proof are now risking their reputations and could even lose out in markets where traceability is a must.

For PR and communications teams, sustainability isn’t just a marketing trend anymore—it’s a core part of business. Claims like “our palm oil is 100 per cent traceable to the plantation” or “we reduce CO₂ emissions” aren’t enough by themselves; they need to be backed up with traceability data, audit trails, and verified reports. When supply chains stretch across different countries and products—like rubber, cocoa, vanilla, and palm—communications teams have to work closely with operations, procurement, and tech to make sure every message matches the facts. The story is shifting from “Look how sustainable we are” to “Here’s how we prove it.”

This change isn’t just about keeping up with new rules. It’s about rethinking how we communicate, tell stories, and manage risks. In this new era, you don’t just claim credibility—you show it through data, teamwork, and real proof.

How our PR and Brand Team Avoids Greenwashing

For PR and brand professionals in sustainability-driven sectors like agritech and agri-food value chains, the rules of communication are changing fast. Sustainability can no longer be treated as a “nice-to-have” narrative; it must be embedded into the very architecture of your communications strategy. Here’s how PR teams can adapt:

• Embed data-backed verification into your narrative. Before any sustainability claim goes public, ensure it aligns with your operations, product, and business team, and ask: What’s the data? Where’s the traceability? What audit or third-party verification supports this? Every message must be anchored in evidence, not intention.
• Align communications with operational milestones. Use real achievements, like traceability dashboards going live, supplier audits completed, the number of farmers onboarded, total farmers trained, or new tech integrations, as story triggers. Build your content around verified progress, not afterthoughts.
• Shift your tone from declaration to transparency. Replace “We are sustainable” with “We’re on a journey.” Share verified milestones, measurable results, and even gaps that remain. Transparency builds far more credibility than perfection claims.
• Tailor messages for different stakeholders. Align your narrative with each audience’s priorities. If you’re speaking to investors, highlight compliance, audit results, and risk management. For consumers, focus on traceability, product origin, and measurable impact. Regulators, meanwhile, require clear evidence of accountability and verification. In today’s landscape, one-size-fits-all messaging no longer works—precision and relevance are key to building trust.

These shifts aren’t simple; they demand cross-functional collaboration between PR, operations, technology, and compliance teams. But PR professionals who move from promotion-first to proof-first will be the ones leading credible, resilient sustainability communication in this new era.

Also Read: Unlocking agritech’s potential: Can Southeast Asia rise to the challenge?

From consumer demands to regulation push and technology: Where the ecosystem is headed

Looking ahead, it’s clear that sustainable agriculture,  especially across Asia, has reached a turning point. For those of us working in communications, brand, and sustainability, the signals are hard to miss. The way we talk about sustainability is changing just as fast as the way we’re required to prove it.

• Transparency will no longer be optional. Businesses entering global markets will need to show verifiable sustainability data, not just well-crafted narratives. With the rise of the EU Green Claims Directive, EUDR, CSRD, CSDDD, and even the US Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA), the burden of proof now falls on companies. Every environmental or ethical statement must be backed by traceable data, third-party audits, and supply chain visibility. Words alone can’t win trust anymore.
• Technology will become the backbone of credibility. We’re seeing a rapid convergence between digital tools and sustainability storytelling. From blockchain traceability systems and digital product passports to IoT-based farm monitoring and satellite verification, technology is quickly becoming the truth enabler. What was once a marketing claim is now a data point that can be verified, tracked, and challenged — and that changes everything about how we communicate impact.
• Communications will get more cross-functional. Gone are the days when PR teams could operate independently. Communicators now need to collaborate closely with sustainability, procurement, operations, and tech teams to ensure alignment between what’s said and what’s proven. The most credible stories will come from these collaborations — where facts and functions meet to form transparency.
• Risk management takes centre stage. Sustainability claims that can’t withstand scrutiny pose real reputational, financial, and even legal risks. This means PR and communications professionals must now think like risk managers,  carefully weighing every statement against potential exposure. Communication isn’t just about opportunity anymore; it’s also about protection.
• Data will define differentiation. As sustainability becomes a baseline expectation, measurable impact will set brands apart. Verified carbon reductions, traceable supply chains, and third-party certifications are not just compliance checkboxes — they’re emerging as competitive advantages and powerful marketing assets.
• Expectations are rising faster than ever. Consumers, investors, and regulators are moving in the same direction, demanding greater transparency and accountability. The margin for error is shrinking, and the gap between what’s said and what’s proven is becoming the most important credibility test of all.

For brands, this evolution is both a challenge and an opportunity. We’re entering an era where communication itself becomes an act of accountability.  The future lies in building narratives that are grounded in fact, verifiable, transparent, and aligned with operations. Those who embrace this shift, who see proof as the new promise, will not only comply with global standards but also lead the next chapter of sustainable business in the Asia Pacific. 

In 2026, the shift from “green claims” to “green credibility” is arguably the defining communications pivot. Embrace it, and you’ll not only help your business stay ahead, but you’ll also help the ecosystem move into a more trustworthy, transparent, and sustainable era.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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