NEDAC-APRACA Workshop on Sustainable Financing & Achieving SDGs for Agricultural Cooperatives
22 – 24 August, 2023
Bangkok, Thailand.
The NEDAC Workshop on Sustainable Financing and Achieving SDGs for Agricultural Cooperatives was organized from 22 to 24 August 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop was organized by NEDAC, jointly with the Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (APRACA), Thailand and the International Cooperative Banking Association (ICBA), with the aim to empower cooperative farmers and industry leaders with the knowledge and tools to build resilient and environmentally conscious agricultural systems and practices.
The workshop was attended by 18 participants from NEDAC member countries, who could delve into sustainable financing practices with international experts. The delegates were welcomed by Dr. Krishna R. Salin, Honorary Director, NEDAC Bangkok and Chair, Aquaculture Program of AIT, Thailand.
Resource persons included Mr. Sundeep Kumar Nayak, Former Director General of National Productivity Council, India who delivered a comprehensive discourse on Green Finance and Agricultural Cooperatives. The participation of UNDP Thailand was by Dr. Piriya Uraiwong, who presented on Climate Resilience and its realization for Agricultural Cooperatives. The afternoon session commenced under the guidance of Dr. Prasun Kumar Das, Secretary General of APRACA, Thailand, who showcased strategies for Enhancing Financial Literacy and Management Skills. The last technical presentation was by Mr. Wichai Paksa, Assistant Senior Vice President of the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), Thailand, who shared his experiences on Strengthening Cooperative Networks and Collaboration: Sustainable Agriculture Cooperatives in Thailand. The technical session concluded with a Panel Discussion, wherein all participants were engaged in an intellectually stimulating interaction and exchange of ideas.
On the second day, the itinerary consisted of visits to various institutions including the Association of Asia Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU), the Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives in Thailand Limited (FSCT), the Museum of Evolution of Financial Cooperatives in Thailand, and the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC).
The activities of Day 3 concluded with a field trip to the FigNature Garden located at That Thong Subdistrict, Bo Thong District, Chonburi Province. The garden is planted with Juicy fig (White Israeli round fruit) and BNR (Bordissot Negra Rimada) strains grown in an organic way. Wrapping up their participation, attendees also had the opportunity to explore Thailand’s renowned beach destinations south of Bangkok city and join a cultural event
Overall, this workshop provided an excellent platform for business interactions along NEDAC members, and set off a series of similar capacity building events for cooperatives, planned by NEDAC in the years to come.
Presentations
