NEDAC International Workshop on
“Agricultural Cooperatives and Food Security”

April 5, 2024July 24, 2024 nedacadmin 0 Comments committee, cooperatives, livestock, meeting, nedac, zoom

Empowering Agricultural Cooperatives: Innovating for Food Security in Thailand and Beyond

8 – 9 July 2024

Bangkok – An International Workshop on Agricultural Cooperatives and Food Security was jointly organized by the Network for the Development of Agricultural Cooperatives in Asia and the Pacific (NEDAC) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand from 8 – 9 July 2024, at the Novotel Bangkok Pleonchit Hotel. This event brought together key stakeholders to discuss and strategize on strengthening the role of agricultural cooperatives in ensuring food security for feeding a rapidly growing global population. The workshop was also aimed to enhance the capacity of agricultural cooperatives, promote agricultural innovation, build resilient farming communities, and foster knowledge exchange and collaboration to ensure food safety and security. The Workshop was attended by 15 participants from Australia, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Philippines, and Thailand.

Leading experts delivered keynote presentations. Dr. Krishna R. Salin, Chair of AIT’s Aquaculture Program, highlighted the significance of agricultural cooperatives in ensuring food security across the value chain. Dr. Witsanu Attavanich, Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, Kasetsart University, highlighted the challenges faced by agricultural production and farmers’ livelihoods in Thailand and globally. He discussed strategies to strengthen the role of agricultural cooperatives in addressing these challenges and enhancing food security. Dr. Ravi Khetarpal, Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI), Bangkok, Thailand, discussed the importance of agricultural innovation ecosystems. He highlighted APAARI’s collaborative projects with organizations like CIRAD-EU-AFD, EU, FAO, and ACIAR to achieve food security and sustainable development goals (SDGs). Prof. Jes Sammut, Deputy Dean for External Engagement, Faculty of Science from UNSW Sydney, Australia, presented case studies from Vietnam and Papua New Guinea, showcasing successful partnerships that enhance small-scale and subsistence aquaculture cooperatives. He highlighted the innovative rice-shrimp farming systems in Vietnam and Indonesia, which particularly impressed participants. Dr. Debashish Mazumder, Principal Research Scientist at Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), introduced novel provenance technology using isotopes to track agricultural products and seafood, crucial for ensuring food safety and security.

The workshop fostered a vibrant exchange of knowledge and experiences. Participants engaged actively with the resource persons, asking several questions and expressing their eagerness to implement innovative strategies and technologies in their cooperative farms.

On Day 2 (July 9, 2024), participants visited the Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand (DPO) in Muak Lek, Sara Buri Province. The DPO, a Thai State enterprise under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, is renowned for its Thai-Denmark brand of dairy products. Participants toured the farm and factory, observing the collection of 300-400 tons of raw milk daily from regional cooperatives and the advanced technology used in UHT and pasteurized milk production and packaging. This visit highlighted Thailand’s robust food security measures and provided a model for participants to emulate in their respective countries.