May 30, 2026

Southeast Asia, a major global agricultural hub, stands at a critical crossroads as it confronts food insecurity, environmental degradation, climate change, and growing socio-economic inequalities. ‘Southeast Asia Innovation Alliance for a Global Model of Future Agri-food Systems (SIGMA)’, an NUS Sustainable Futures Seed grant funded from 2025 to 2028, and led by Assistant Professor Xiangzhong (Remi) Luo (NUS Geography) in collaboration with Professor Kaiyu Guan, Assistant Professor Shenlong Wang, and Professor Lisa Ainsworth (all from the University of Illinois), responds to these challenges. SIGMA aims to establish a new US–Singapore academic alliance that brings together world-class expertise to co-develop sustainable agri-food solutions for Southeast Asia and beyond.

At its core, SIGMA will advance three interconnected thematic objectives. Under the first objective, SIGMA will focus on decarbonising agriculture by developing digital monitoring, reporting, and verification solutions tailored to smallholder farmers. These tools will be adaptable to local conditions and transferable across diverse crops in the region. The program will also explore nature-based climate solutions and alternative land management practices such as precision fertilisation and soil amendments, helping inform pathways toward long-term sustainability. The second objective emphasises food security and system resilience. SIGMA will investigate adaptation strategies and resource-efficient practices to stabilise food production and strengthen supply chains amid climate variability, through innovations in plant breeding and the use of green finance and crop insurance schemes. The final objective aims to build resilient communities by empowering smallholder farmers with access to digital tools, financial wellness programs, and climate-smart technologies. SIGMA shall also support gender and indigenous equity in agricultural development while designing behavioural strategies to promote widespread adoption of sustainable practices.

The study will progress in three stages. Stage 1 will establish a shared research roadmap through a workshop at NUS, stakeholder engagement, and site visits across Southeast Asia to produce an internal report. Stage 2 will initiate pilot studies to assess agricultural sustainability trends and produce a review paper, early findings, and practical insights. Stage 3 will focus on securing long-term funding, leveraging results and partnerships to develop proposals that ensure SIGMA’s scalability and lasting impact across the region.

Overall, SIGMA seeks to enhance academic excellence at both universities through innovation transfers, publications, and sustained funding. It strives to deliver real-world benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving smallholder livelihoods, and strengthening food system resilience. The project will also foster knowledge exchange across Southeast Asia and build future leadership through training and capacity-building programs.