SEARCA conducts the kick-off meeting for the promotion of climate resilience in rice and other crops project

22 January 2014

Standing: Dr. Romeo Labios, Dr. Outhai Soukkhy, Dr. Lope B. Santos III, Dr. Perdinan, Dr. Khin Lay Swe, Ms. Imelda Bacuco, Dr. Men Sarom, Ms. Imelda Batangantang and Ms. Kristine Joy Villagracia. Seated: Dr. Teodoro Solsoloy, Dr. Rizaldi Boer, Dr. Attachai Jintrawet, Ms. Myriam Fernando, Dr. Felino Lansigan, and Dr. Do Lin Huong.

PATTAYA, Thailand – SEARCA facilitated the project’s kick-off meeting for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-German Programme on Climate Change (GAP-CC) funded project titled, ASEAN Network on the Promotion of Climate Resilience in Rice and other Crops on 20 January 2014 in Nong Nooch Garden Resort, Pattaya, Thailand. GAP-CC aims to support ASEAN in further advancing the implementation of regionally coordinated strategies and policies for food security and climate protection within its Member States in agriculture and forestry sectors.

Under this project, a series of regional forums will be undertaken to (1) promote a common understanding of the climate change related threat to the agriculture sector focused on selected crops (rice, maize, and cassava); (2) identify successful practices and policies at the ASEAN Member States (AMS) level for tackling these climate change related threats that can be promoted and up-scaled; and (3) identify common concerns and capacity needs, and propose regional support strategies and instruments to address these in a coherent manner.

Ms. Myriam Fernando, GAP-CC Senior Advisor, provided an overview of the programme and project background while Dr. Lope B. Santos III, SEARCA Program Specialist and Officer-in-Charge for Project Development and Management, discussed the workshop objective in finalizing the methodology and workplan of the project. Mr. Douglas Black, Climate Sense Director and GAP-CC Consultant, facilitated the discussion on Methodological Approach and Framework on Value Chains, Climate Impacts, Climate Profiling and Adaptation Options. Moreover, Dr. Felino P. Lansigan, Regional Agricultural Value Chain/Climate Resilience Expert, expounded on the agreements on sector selection, scope of analyses, current/future climate impacts, production systems, selection criteria and best practices.

Also present in the workshop were Dr. Rizaldi Boer, Climate Change Risk Opportunity Management (CCROM) Executive Director, and the National Team Leaders of the project composed of Dr. Men Sarom (Cambodia), Dr. Perdinan (Indonesia), Dr. Outhai Soukkhy (Lao PDR), Dr. Khin Lay Swe (Myanmar), Dr. Romeo Labios (Philippines), Dr. Attachai Jintrawet (Thailand), and Dr. Lien Do Huong (Vietnam). Dr. Teodoro Solsoloy, ASEAN Technical Working Group on Agriculture and Research Development (ATWGARD) Focal Point for the Philippines, is also present in the meeting. Ms. Imelda Bacudo, GAP-CC Consultant, Ms. Imelda L. Batangantang, SEARCA Program Associate, and Ms. Kristine Joy S. Villagracia, Regional Platform Coordinator, provided the technical support to the workshop. (Imelda L. Batangantang and Kristine Joy S. Villagracia)