Regional Open Innovation Forum on Promoting Nanotechnology and Agriculture for Sustainable Development 27-28 October 2014, Shah Alam, Malaysia Knowledge Sharing Experiences From SATNET Asia For Promoting Sustainable Agriculture Dr. Krishnan S. Raghavan Coordinator, Technology Transfer United Nations APCTT-ESCAP
Plan of Presentation Introduction Knowledge Sharing Experiences from SATNET SATNET Asia Knowledge Platforms and Social Media Tools Concluding Remarks
Introduction SATNET Asia Strengthening South-South dialogue and intraregional learning on sustainable agriculture technologies and trade facilitation to address food insecurity. Increasing and accelerating the rate of adoption of agricultural technologies that are sustainable, productivity-enhancing and suitable to the poorest and most vulnerable people of South and Southeast Asia
Knowledge Sharing Experiences from SATNET Asia SATNET Asia facilitates knowledge sharing through: Technical workshops Writeshops Interregional visits for smallholder value-chain actors Online Platforms and Social media tools Regional trade exhibition High-level policy consultations
SATNET Asia Technical Workshops 1. Established a Biological Control Unit in the National Plant Protection Centre, Bhutan to assist Bhutan in its Organic Agriculture Roadmap. 2. Trained over 500 participants from 6 countries in South Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan) on various aspects of sustainable agriculture and agricultural trade facilitation.
SATNET High-level Policy Dialogues High-level policy dialogue on technology transfer for smallholder farmers, 13 February 2013, Bogor, Indonesia Expert consultation on strengthening linkages between research and extension to promote food and nutrition security, 11-12 December 2013
Key Outcomes of Expert Consultation The Expert Consultation provided a valuable opportunity to take stock of current state of agricultural research and extension systems in countries in the Asia-Pacific region. An Action Framework was developed to make R-E systems more efficient and relevant to food security and nutritional needs of countries in the region.
SATNET Asia Trade Facilitation APCTT helped a smallholder farmer association with a membership of 5,000 small holder farmers in South India through its technology transfer / partnership facilitation mechanism for exporting bananas to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Currently, this small holder farmers association named Farm Fresh Bananas is in an advanced stage of negotiations with the Government of Iran for market access for is bananas.
SATNET Asia Knowledge Transfer National Training Programme on Strengthening Market Linkages and Enhancing Trade Facilitation for Value Chain Actors in Small-Scale Food and Agro-Processing Sectors from 29-31 July 2014, Anand, India Key Outcome: A farmer association from Maharashtra (India) learned the benefits of cooperative model for small farmers from this training and has developed a cooperative based business model for its operation and is piloting it in two villages. Depending on the outcome, further scaling up to state level is being envisaged.
SATNET Asia Intraregional Visits SATNET Asia organised 5 intraregional visits of smallholder farmers and small scale traders. In one of these visits, participants visited Talaad Thai Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Market in Pathumthani province near Bangkok. The participants were very impressed with how the vegetable, seafood, fish, fruit and flower trading zones of the market operates, how the waste is being recycled as well as function of the contamination testing laboratory which tests 150 random samples every day to ensure the quality of the produce at Talaad Thai. Key Outcome: Participants from Bangladesh considering establishing a similar market in Bangladesh with support from the government.
SATNET Asia Knowledge Platforms and Social Media Tools SATNET Asia Website: www.satnetasia.org SATNET Asia Blog: http://satnetasia.blogspot.in SATNET Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/satnetasia- 4436158/about SATNET Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/satnet- Asia/254469914671840 SATNET Twitter: https://twitter.com/satnetasia
Concluding Remarks SATNET supports innovation by strengthening South South dialogue and intraregional learning on sustainable agriculture technologies and trade facilitation. Through its capacity building activities and knowledge platforms, SATNET facilitates knowledge sharing beyond country borders and encourages sharing of best practices and technical know how for the benefit of the poorest and most vulnerable people in South and Southeast Asia.
Knowledge is valuable only when it s shared INNOVATE, SHARE, ACT for food security & and poverty reduction www.satnetasia.org Follow us on: Facebook: htps://www. facebook.com/pages/ Satnet-Asia/254469914671840 Twitter: https://twitter.com/ SATNETAsia Blog: http://satnetasia.blogspot. com/
Terima Kasih UNESCAP-APCTT C-2, Qutab Institutional Area New Delhi 110 016, India Tel : 91-11-3097-3758 Fax : 91-11-26856274 Email :srinivasaraghavan@un.org Website : www.apctt.org
Disclaimer The views expressed in this session are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Secretariat of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. The description and classification of countries and territories used, and the arrangements of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, of its authorities, concerning the delineation of its frontiers or boundaries, or regarding its economic system or degree of development. Designations such as developed, industrialised and developing are intended for convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process. Mention of firm names, commercial products and/or technologies does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.