This research work focused on the assessment and identification of strategic rice cultivation practices, i.e. rotation with energy crops, to enable Southeast Asia (SEA) to develop towards a self-sufficient low carbon society, thereby contributing to global warming mitigation and climate change adaptation. The results indicate that to rotate the cultivation of rice with the cultivation of selected energy crops is a good strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and would contribute to increased soil carbon storage in the long term. The expansion of this strategy to all of SEA would not only contribute to enhancing biomass resources utilisation for biofuel and bioenergy, but would also alleviate the competition faced for planting food and fuel crops while minimising land-use change. Moreover, such strategic practices would help increase the carbon sink potential of the agricultural sector and enhance the welfare of rural communities. However, the existence of a market for energy crops is a prerequisite for the successful implementation of such a practice in the region. It is, therefore, imperative to formulate and implement clear policies on renewable energy and biomass utilisation, which should be strongly promoted both at the country and SEA regional levels.