AFOSP-MTCP2 participates in the Mekong Knowledge and Learning Fair 2019

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Bangkok, Thailand–The 2019 Mekong Knowledge and Learning Fair, held in Bangkok, Thailand on 10-12 July 2019, attracted nearly 200 participants consisting of high-level officials from the government of countries within the Mekong region and the Philippines, representatives from IFAD country offices, IFAD grants / supported projects, private sector, and farmers’ organizations (FOs) including the Asian Farmers’ Association (AFA) and its partner FOs from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia under the AFOSP-MTCP2 Programme. This year’s MKLF centered on partnerships between smallholder producers and the private and financial institutions.

AFOSP-MTCP2 REPRESENT! (L-R) Jojo Ebron of AFA with FO partners from Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos.

The MKLF 2019 opened with welcome remarks and a keynote address from the Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand Grisada Boonrach and IFAD Mekong Hub Coordinator and Vietnam / Lao PDR Country Director Thomas Rath. This was followed by an orientation/overview of the program by Yolando Arban and the opening of the knowledge learning booths (KLBs).

The program commenced with a panel session on stakeholder’s perspectives on the MKLF 2019 theme: Promoting Partnerships: Smallholder Producers with Private Agribusiness and Financial Institutions facilitated by IFAD Country Director for the Philippines and Myanmar Alessandro Marini. The panel consisted of Ms. Blesila Lantayona, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines, Mr. Thanawat Tiensen, Representative of Thailand to the UN Rome-based agencies, Dr. Tran Thanh Nam, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, Dr. Meas Pyseth, Under Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia, Mr. Apirom Sukprasert, President of BAAC Thailand, Asian Farmer’s Association (AFA) Cooperative Development Program Manager Jose Romeo Ebron, and, Mr. Santat Thongtem, Senior Vice President of CFP Thailand.

Mr. Jojo Ebron of AFA discussed about the challenges frequently faced by farmers including difficulty in getting access to financial aid even from institutions established by the government.

Thailand’s agribusiness and financial models were highlighted in the KLBs. IFAD country offices in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and the Philippines also showcased their successful cases, innovations, as well as KM and agri products in their respective KLBs. Innovative agri business models and cases from the participating countries were presented in their respective KLBs. On the second day of MKLF, regional grants including AFOSP-MTCP2 also put up exhibitions featuring their projects supported by IFAD. Mr. Khammoune Xaymany of the Lao Farmer Network (LFN), AFOSP-MTCP2 partner in Lao PDR, presented one of LNF’s successful initiatives on establishing a partnership between smallholder rice producer groups and a private company.

To learn from the field, the MKLF participants visited the following sites:

PHOTOS

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