Dear Readers,
 

In this issue of the newsletter, we present exciting updates from our latest activities from various topics including New Energy Nexus Asia, agriculture & food safety, climate change, energy, economics & employment, environment & natural resources, urban & industrial development and good governance. Browse it through!


Also, GIZ Training Services Bangkok has interesting new courses lined up, check it out on http://training.thai-german-cooperation.info/index.php/training.

For more regular updates, please visit us at: www.thai-german-cooperation.info and www.facebook.com/gizthailand.

Best regards,
Your newsletter team
HIGHLIGHT

Smart Energy Hackathon Innovators Produce 16 Energy Solutions
79 Hackers, 16 Teams, 33 Mentors, One Mission 


New Energy Nexus Southeast Asia

READ MORE

Agriculture & Food Safety

ASEAN-German agriculture project generates EUR 98m of additional income for 125,000 farmers

  • ASEAN is facing increasing demand for safe, healthy and affordable food under shrinking natural resources.
  • The project presents success stories and factors for food safety and food security at the 39th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry in Chiang Mai.
  • The 4 success factors are policy support and linkages, public-private partnership, farmer inclusivity into value chain and leadership and capacity building.
READ MORE
ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems (ASEAN SAS)
Sustainable agriculture is a must because we all have to eat

  • The demand for more environment-friendly agriculture practices has increased. 
  • However,  there is little attention and investment on registration and regulation of bio fertiliser. 
  • An expert group provides recommendations to improve the regulation for better food safety.
READ MORE
ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems (ASEAN SAS) 
Learning about food and vegetable supply chain at a Thai Royal Project and ThaiFEX


  • Representatives from Cambodia, Indonesia and Lao PDR  learn about farm management, storage, transport and marketing of organic produce.
READ MORE
Standards in the Southeast Asian Food Trade (SAFT) 
Thailand helps strengthen GAP programme in Myanmar

  • Myanmar plans to build up its own Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) services.
  • A delegation visits Thailand to learn about extension services, laboratory services, inspection and certification systems of GAP.  
READ MORE
Standards in the Southeast Asian Food Trade (SAFT) 
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives urges Thai farmers to meet international standard

  • The Deputy Minister, Ms. Chutima Boonyaprapatsorn visits farmers in Ubonratchathani
  • The farmers produce quality rice which is purchased by Olam.
  • The project trains 1,336 farmers who are members of 19 Community Rice Centres in the Sustainable Rice Platform standard.
READ MORE
Better Rice Initiative Asia (BRIA): High-Quality Rice for Southeast Asia 
Two Executive Committees set up for the preparation of the Thai RICE NAMA project 


  • Thai Rice NAMA seeks to convert the Thai rice sector to low-emission production and applies for 15 million euro international support.
  • Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives heads the Policy Advisory Committee of the preparation of the project. 
  • The project can be regarded as a model for developing sustainable, low-emission rice farming in Southeast Asia.
READ MORE
Better Rice Initiative Asia (BRIA): High-Quality Rice for Southeast Asia 

Climate Change

Indonesia launches Green Public Procurement (GPP) nationwide

  • Green Public Procurement regulations for copy paper, lamps and green hotels are introduced.  
  • The government procurement of goods and services policy is reinforced in order to achieve Sustainable Development in Indonesia.
READ MORE
Advancing and Measuring Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) for a Low-Carbon Economy in Middle-Income and Newly Industrialized Countries (Advance SCP)
Possible monitoring and evaluation approaches and options for Thai National Adaptation Plan

  • Key stakeholders learn how to develop an adaptation monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system.
  • The workshop participants demonstrated possible approaches and options for the development of an M&E system for adaptation in the Thai context.
  • Indicators used in the draft Thai NAP in agricultural and health sectors are revised to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound).
READ MORE
Risk-based National Adaptation Plan 

Greenhouse gas reduction target set for domestic wastewater sector


  • Thailand has developed a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) roadmap on mitigation 2021-2030 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, targeting at 20-25% by 2030.
  • Wastewater Management Authority will develop climate mitigation in domestic wastewater plan (2017-2036). 
READ MORE
Water and Wastewater Companies for Climate Mitigation 

Energy

Electrifying off-grid communities on Thai islands 


  • Renewable-Energy-Diesel Hybrid Systems could tackle the challenge of providing reliable electricity access.
  • Socio-economic and technical feasibility studies are prepared for two pilot sites, Koh Mak Noi in Phang-Nga and Koh Bulon Don in Satun.
  • Two different business and operation models have been applied to the islands.
READ MORE
Renewable Energy Hybrid Grid Systems for Thai Islands 

Economics & Employment

Enhancing the quality of ASEAN's workforce through better in-company training 

  • Many ASEAN countries lack skilled workers and it is slowing economic growth.
  • ASEAN countries need to adopt standard for in-company training to their national requirements, set-up national quality assurance systems and implement training courses.
  • 4th regional Master Trainer training completed in cooperation with Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea). 
READ MORE
Regional Cooperation Programme to Improve the Quality and Labour Market Orientation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (RECOTVET) 
From trainer to designer: big steps towards completing training course on financial audit 

  • The trainers of the State Audit Organisation of Lao PDR began their new role as training course designers in May.
  • Outline and courseware of first two modules are completed and ready for piloting with 30 junior financial auditors.
READ MORE
Thai-German Trilateral Cooperation Programme

Environment & Natural Resources

Thai water management goes green

  • Thailand and Germany exchange knowledge on Implementation of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA).
  • Thai representatives from Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment visit Isar River Restoration, the Danube Restoration and the Nature Conservation and Landscape Preservation and Floodplains of the River Rhine.
  • Department of Water Resources is planning the implementation of EbA measures in Huai Sai Bart in Khon Kaen, Tha Di in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Lumpachi in Ratchburi.
READ MORE
Improved Management of Extreme Events through Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Watersheds (ECOSWat) 
Improving resilience of the Thai automotive sector against disasters 

  • Private sector partnership is strengthened through Supply Chain Risk Management.
  • Isuzu enters into 2-year project partnership on business continuity planning for its Tier 1 suppliers.
  • Inoue Rubber (Thailand) Public Co., Ltd, (iRC) reviewed its business continuity plan.
READ MORE
Global Initiative on Disaster Risk Management (GIDRM) 

Urban & Industrial Development

Fuel economy policy in Thailand moves forward

  • In ASEAN, 30% of the CO2 energy-related emissions comes mainly from road transport.
  • Thailand's fuel efficiency policies and measures go into implementation.
  • Tri Petch Isuzu Sales Co.,Ltd and BMW (Thailand) Co.,Ltd shared their experience on fuel efficiency improvements.
READ MORE
Mitigation in the Land Transport Sector in the ASEAN Region (TCC) 
12 cities and 7 countries work on adopting Nexus approach into urban planning 

  • Nexus 7th regional workshop participants developed policy recommendations for adopting nexus approaches at local level.
  • The approaches are based on an urban nexus framework and enabling dimensions; governance, inclusive-decision making, urban planning, finance/business practices, science, technology and innovation.
  • Municipal, national and supra-regional actors and utilities must be involved in integrated planning and management.
READ MORE
Integrated Resource Management in Asian Cities: the Urban NEXUS 
Save more cost by driving more efficiently 


  • Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand improve fuel efficiency and road safety through Eco and Defensive Driving courses.
  • Factors for fuel efficiency in truck driving are 1) driving behaviour 2) truck condition and 3) road condition.
  • Changing driving behavior can save 10-20% fuel consumption.
READ MORE
Sustainable Freight Transport and Logistics in the Mekong Region

Good Governance

Columbia learns from Thailand in alternative development to fight drugs


  • Columbia is facing a dramatic increase in coca growing.
  • 22 Columbian representatives of central government, local administrations and civil society visit Alternative Development projects in Thailand. 
  • The two countries exchanged knowledge on drug policy and alternatives development.
READ MORE
Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development 

Others

Sector Network TUEWAS launched online SDGs portal

  • The Transport, Environment, Energy and Water in Asia sector made the topic of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) more visible and systematic on www. tuewas-asia.org/sdgs/.
  • GIZ projects feature their contributions supporting SDGs.
READ MORE
The Sector Network Transport, Environment, Energy and Water in Asia (TUEWAS)
UPCOMING TRAINING COURSES

8 - 10 Nov 2017

Communicating Projects - Strategically and Effectively

29 NOV - 1 dec 2017

Impact Story Writing 

13-14 DEC 2017

The Urban Nexus