In support to this initiative, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH funded the project through the ASEAN-German Programme on Response to Climate Change (GAP-CC), and SEARCA was commissioned by GAP-CC to carry out the project in seven ASEAN Member States (AMS).
The workshop brought together the resource persons from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, commissioned by SEARCA, who will undertake their respective case studies on climate change impacts of the selected sectors, and the ATWGARD focal persons of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, who have been designated to support the conduct of said national case studies. Also present at the kick-off workshop were representatives from the Department of Agriculture (DoA) and the Rice Department of the Thailand Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC), the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), Climate Risk and Opportunity Management in Southeast Asia Pacific (CCROM-SEAP), Climate Sense, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Dr. Suwit Chaikiattiyos, DoA Deputy Director General, as represented by Mr. Arak Chantuma from the DoA Rubber Research Institute, served as the Workshop Chair. Dr. Felino P. Lansigan, National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) - Hugh Greenwood Environmental Science Awardee, serves as the Regional Agricultural Value Chain/Climate Resilience Expert in this undertaking. Other workshop presentors include Ms. Myriam Fernando (Senior Advisor, GAP-CC), Mr. Douglas Black (Director, Climate Sense), and Dr. Rizaldi Boer (Executive Director, CCROM-SEAP).
Dr. Lope B. Santos III, Program Specialist-OIC, Ms. Imelda L. Batangantang, Program Associate, and Ms. Kristine Joy S. Villagracia, Regional Knowledge Platform Coordinator of SEARCA’s Project Development and Management Department (ProDev) organized and facilitated the event. (Kristine Joy S. Villagracia)