“If no countermeasures are made, the devastation caused by rising floods will cost Asia’s major cities billions of dollars in the following years,” said DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) OIC-director Joell H. Lales during his opening remarks at the ASEAN Climate Resilience Network (ASEAN-CRN) Knowledge Exchange Event and Partners Meeting on 28-30 March 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand.
“[T]his event allows us, policymakers and researchers, to answer those questions, and connect us with the scientific community, giving us the avenue to create meaningful dialogue, and exchange of information, expertise and experience on climate-smart approaches to food systems,” he added.
As the incoming chair of the 17th ASEAN Technical Working Group on Agricultural Research and Development (ATWGARD), OIC-director Lales co-chaired the event and represented the Philippines, together with DA-Climate Resilience Agriculture Office director Alicia A. Ilaga and DA-BAR International R4D Relations acting head Mara Shyn Valdeabella-Pacunana.
Co-hosted by the Philippine DA with Thailand’s Department of Agriculture, who is the current chair of the ASEAN-CRN, the three-day event was highlighted by discussions and presentations aimed at building the capacities of ASEAN-CRN focal points on the utilization of agrometeorology and climate information services, digitalization of information, and how agriculture can help achieve national climate targets.
Attended by ASEAN-CRN, ATWGARD focal points, international development organizations conducting similar initiatives in the region, as well as civil society organization partners, the knowledge exchange event also highlighted the importance of forging multi-stakeholder engagements and having an enabling environment where climate policies, tools, and innovations will be institutionalized and effectively implemented.
The Knowledge Exchange Event and Partners Meeting is one of the regional events of the network, whose key messages will form part of the upcoming 8th ASEAN-CRN Annual Meeting agenda and afterwards, the 17th ATWGARD meeting which will take place on 4-5 April 2023, respectively.
“As we continue to underscore the important role that research and development plays in agriculture sector, I enjoin the ASEAN member states present here to stay engaged and continue the discussions as we see to it that the concepts and topics we discussed the past two days will be translated to actions that will ultimately lead to better lives for our smallholder farmers, fisherfolk, and communities,” said OIC-director Lales.