Posted on June, 29 2018

Mae Chaem, Chiang Mai, 29 June 2018 - The capacity building workshop under WWF-Thailand towards the development of mitigation strategies and measures for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) within agricultural sectors was held in Mae Chaem, Chiang Mai on 27 June 2018, alongside researchers from Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) and local agricultural experts as part of an on-going research and activities on capacity building and strengthening of environmental conservation in the largely deforested northern province.
 
The half-day workshop was well attended with over 20 key representatives from farmer groups and local communities of Mae Chaem, with the express purpose and interest in participation of sustainable farming. The main objectives of this research and evaluation workshop were to:
 

• Develop dialogue and knowledge exchange on environmental problems associated with agriculture in Mae Chaem, Chiang Mai. 

• Evaluate and analyze innovative action plans and sustainable practice models as strategic guidelines towards sustainable production.

• Promote the adoption and drive towards civil society participation of agricultural producers as key mechanism to achieving SCP.

 
The workshop participants took this on board and many took part during the knowledge and dialogue exchange session on the current social and environment issues related to monoculture production at hand. Many highlighted on the need to provide more political attention and support, and lack of incentivized innovation that would help them contribute towards the establishment and development of a sustainable agriculture production. To allow for further understanding, an afternoon session was also dedicated to a preliminary survey assessment of the communities’ agriculture mechanization gaps, which will help academicians and researchers make further effective use of information.
 
Several key solution models were presented by TDRI; offering practical aspects on what existing sustainable agriculture models can offer, in support of highlighting current knowledge gaps in order for the local community’s transition towards deforested-free supply chain and greener economies that building on existing skills, and by doing so, contribute towards sustainable development.
 
The WWF-Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building, and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.