As the voluntary carbon market (VCM) expands across forest-rich regions of the Global South, the Mekong region stands at a decisive crossroads. With accelerating climate commitments and the growing monetization of forest carbon, the stakes have never been higher for Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Maize is a key global cash crop, produced in every continent except Antarctica. As a flex crop, it has multiple uses including for direct human consumption, as an ingredient for animal feed, as a key component in processed foods, or in ethanol production. According to figures from FAOSTAT, global production increased from 0.2 to 1.2 billion tons between 1961 and 2020.