Bangkok Book Club Meetup

Agriculture sits at the frontline of climate change. Across Asia, farmers are increasingly confronting rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, water stress, ecosystem degradation, volatile markets, and more frequent extreme weather events. Building resilient agricultural systems capable of adapting to these interconnected pressures has become a critical priority for governments, development agencies, researchers, and farming communities alike. These challenges are often most acute for smallholder farmers and agricultural SMEs, who face additional constraints related to access to technology, finance, infrastructure, and digital capacity, yet play a central role in regional food systems. At the same time, artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly embedded across agricultural systems. From climate forecasting and pest prediction to precision irrigation, crop monitoring, agricultural advisories, insurance, finance, and supply chain management, AI is influencing how information is generated, decisions are made, risks are assessed, and interventions are designed across the food system. Governments, development organisations, agribusinesses, and technology companies are investing in AI-enabled solutions as part of broader efforts to transform agriculture and strengthen food security. As climate change intensifies pressures on food systems, there is growing urgency to understand how AI can contribute not only to productivity gains but also to long-term resilience and farmer well-being. Will AI strengthen farmers’ ability to anticipate and respond to climate risks? How might it reshape relationships between farmers, governments, technology companies, and agricultural institutions? This participatory workshop will bring together smallholder farmers, farmers’ organisations, agricultural SMEs, researchers, policymakers, climate adaptation practitioners, technology developers, and civil society actors to examine how AI may influence the ways agricultural risks

Across Asia, promising climate technologies are ready for market, but many founders still struggle to secure the first customer or real-world pilot that unlocks growth. Brought to you by New Energy Nexus, the Asia Climate Tech Showcase brings startups from Thailand, Vietnam and Korea into the same room as corporate buyers, investors and ecosystem partners. Hear fast-paced pitches, meet founders at showcase tables and explore opportunities for pilots, investment and regional expansion. Come for an early look at emerging Asian climate solutions, and to meet the entrepreneurs building them. If your organization can help move a promising technology from prototype to market, this is the room to be in.

Join us for an interactive, hands-on workshop that moves beyond big climate commitments to explore what it takes to create change in the places where people actually live, work and move. Working in small groups, participants will explore how extreme heat is experienced across different aspects of everyday urban life, from buildings and mobility to energy, water and public spaces. Together, you will identify local heat-related challenges, co-create practical solutions, test what it would take to make them work, and explore the roles of governments, communities, businesses and other stakeholders in creating cooler, more resilient cities. Through collaborative exercises and knowledge exchange, the workshop will explore how grassroots ideas and local experiments can move beyond the pilot stage and become part of city systems, climate action plans and urban policy. Come ready to imagine, debate, create and rethink how cities can turn climate ambition into action that works for people.