1
Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) as One:
Unified Regional Approaches to Food Safety and Market Access
A Policy Forum
Objective
To agree on unified regional approaches and measures that promote harmonized food safety standards and
greater market access for safe, environment-friendly, high quality GMS agro-food products.
Rationale
Food security and market access. Food safety is a core component of food security and a major barrier to
market access for many GMS agricultural products. The economic costs of illnesses caused by foodborne
diseases in the subregion are considerable. The risk of outbreak of foodborne diseases also hampers market
access of food products. In turn, this perceived health risk results in costly rejections of GMS agricultural
produce in international markets. To address this problem, there is a need to ensure the quality of GMS
produce. Establishing unified food safety policies that ensure consumers and producers are appropriately
protected in an inclusive and sustainable manner is a key challenge facing the global food sector and is a key
priority concern for the GMS.
Regional approach to address gaps. As market integration proceeds and cross-border value chains develop,
it is imperative that GMS food suppliers meet domestic, regional and global export market standards starting
from farm to the consumer table. The GMS has unique and often unharnessed comparative advantages in
specific food supply, built upon its abundant natural resources, climate, low costs of production, proximity to
large markets, and the unique food items produced in the region. However, the subregion’s current pest,
disease and residue issues hamper production and food safety. In addition, many of its small and medium
agro-enterprises and smallholder producer groups are limited by scale, reducing their competitiveness and
ability to demonstrate food quality and safety. Although the GMS countries have made great progress in
reforming national policies, gaps remain at the GMS level and strategic investments are needed. A regional
approach to food policy driven by business and public interests, will enhance protection of domestic
consumers and suppliers, will support scaling up of production, and will facilitate product marketing.
Multi-sectoral cooperation. It is essential that producers and the wider business community work closely with
policymakers to develop unified regional approaches to food safety. A candid assessment of current policy
gaps and priorities for investment is needed to achieve the goal of establishing the subregion as a leading
regional and global supplier of safe and environment-friendly agricultural food products.
Issues Paper: An issue paper on “Harmonizing Food Safety Policies and Expanding Global Markets” is the
expected output of the policy forum. The paper will address where we were, where we are now and where
we need to be in relation to food safety in national markets within the GMS and current and potential export
nd
markets for GMS products. The paper will serve as an input to the upcoming 2 GMS Agriculture Ministers’
meeting in October 2017 in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
1
Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) comprises Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China (Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous
Region and Yunnan province), Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam.
Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) as One:
Regional Approaches to Food Safety and Market Access A Policy Forum
31 May 2017
Amber Room 1, IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand
Agenda
12:30 - 13.30
Registration
13.30 - 13.40
Welcome Remarks
Mr. Samran Sarabun
Deputy Director General
Department of Agricultural Extension,
Thailand Ministry of Agriculture and
Cooperatives
Opening Remarks
Mr. Pavit Ramachandran
Officer-in-Charge
Thailand Resident Mission
Asian Development Bank
Keynote Address
Food Safety and Market Access for
GMS Agri-Food Products – Insights
from the Experiences of Lao PDR
H.E. Dr. Phouang Parisak
Pravongviengkham
Deputy Minister
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Lao PDR
Session 1
Setting the Scene: Harmonizing
Food Safety and Food Quality in
the GMS for Enhanced Market
Access
Moderator for Session 1:
Mr. Chris May
Managing Director
Bioglobal Consultancy Ltd
13.40 - 14.00
Mr. Pavit Ramachandran
Senior Environment Specialist
Asian Development Bank
Ms. Maria Theresa S. Medialdia
Director of the Agricultural Development
and Commercialization Department
Mekong Institute in Thailand
14.00 - 14.15
Toward harmonizing food safety
systems and increasing market
access in the Greater Mekong
Subregion
14.20 - 14.40
Quality Assurance, a Balancing Act Key Lessons from the European
Experience and Discovering
Untapped Market Potential in Asia
and the EU
14.40 - 15.00
Conversations
• Dr. Prum Somany, Director of Department of International Cooperation and
NSSU Manager, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• Mr. Li Hongtao, Deputy Director General of Foreign Economic Cooperation
Center, Ministry of Agriculture, PRC
• Mr. Peerachote Charanwong, Managing Director, Merit Food Products Co.,
Ltd. President, Thailand Organic Trade Association
• Mr. Vo Minh Khai, General Director, Vien Phu Organic & Health Foods JSC
15.00 - 15.20
Open Forum
15:20 - 15:40
Networking Coffee Break
15.40 - 15.55
Mrs. Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab
Head of the Agricultural Quality Standards
Unit
Economic Cooperation and Trade Division
United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe
Session 2
Small and Medium AgroModerator for Session 2
Enterprises (SMAEs) in the GMS:
Mr. Chris May
Linking Recognition and Market
Managing Director
Access
Bioglobal Consultancy Ltd
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)
Mr. Kishi Katsuki
Market Program: Pathways for SMAEs to
General Manager
Achieve Recognized Certification and
Quality Management Department, AEON
Market Access
Co., Ltd., Japan
15.55 - 16.30
Conversations
• Dr. Tin Htut, Permanent Secretary, Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and
Irrigation
• Dr. Sochivi Kao, Deputy Director General of Fisheries Administration, Cambodia
• Mr. Sisouphonh Sihalath, General Director, Dao Heuang Group Co.Ltd
• Dr. Than Than Sein, Vice Chairman, Myanmar Organic Producers Association
• Mr. Arrut Navaraj, Managing Director, Sampran Riverside, Thailand
• Mr. Serge Selbe, Managing Director, Lao Fresh Meat
16:30 - 16:50
Open Forum
16:50 - 17:00
Summing Up and Closing Remarks
Mr. Chris May
Managing Director
Bioglobal Consultancy Ltd
World of Food Safety Conference
1 June 2017
Amber Room 2, IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand
ADB Special Session: GMS Food Safety Agenda:
A Shared Responsibility through Public-Private Collaboration
Agenda
8:30 - 9:00
Registration
9:00 - 9:05
Welcome Remarks
Mr. Winichai Chaemchaeng
Vice Minister
Ministry of Commerce, Thailand
9:05 - 9:10
Opening Remarks
Mr. Pavit Ramachandran
Senior Environment Specialist
ADB
Session 3
A Shared Responsibility through
Public-Private Collaboration
Moderator for the Session:
Mr. Anthony M. Zola
Senior Researcher,
Mekong Environment and Resources
Institute (MERI)
9.10 – 9.30
Private-Public Partnerships for Food
Safety in the GMS region, A win-win
solution
Mr. Pradeep Pant
Advisory Board Member
Lee Kong Chiang School of Business,
Singapore Management University
9:30 – 9.50
Cooperation in Food Safety: Harmonizing
Public and Private Interests
(2 Views)
Mr. Patrik Jonasson
Director
Public Policy Asia-Pacific, GS1
Mr. Vichit Krupanyamat
General Manager
SAI Global, Thailand
9.50 – 10.20
Conversations
• Ms. Pimpapaan Chansilpa, Advisor to the Thai Minister of Commerce
• Dr. Kevin Chen, Director of PRC's International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
• Mr. Ye Min Aung, Managing Director, Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation
Limited (MAPCO)
• Mr. Stephane Passeri, Project Coordinator, FAO/ AFD
10.20 - 10.35
Open Forum
10.35 – 10.40
Summing Up and Closing Remarks
10.40 – 11.00
Networking Coffee Break
11.00 – 16.30
WORLD OF FOOD CONFERENCE SESSIONS (topics)
v Overview: Driving Global Food Safety Through a Culture of Safety and Verification in
Asia-Pacific
v Regional Integration of Food Safety in Asia & the Role of the Food Industry
v Sustainability Standards – Driving Food Safety in Rice
v Advanced Food Processing Technologies to Ensure Safe and Healthy Food Products
v Sustainability in Supply Chain to Ensure Food Safety
v Responsible Sourcing to Ensure Food Integrity
v Background Checks as an Effective Tool to Ensure Quality in the Supply Chain and
Mitigate Food Fraud
v Industry Strategies for Assuring Food Integrity
Mr. Anthony M. Zola
Senior Researcher
Mekong Environment and Resources
Institute (MERI)
GMS Policy Forum Contributors
Speakers:
Mrs. Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab
Head, Agricultural Quality Standards Unit
Economic Cooperation and Trade Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Email: [email protected]
Mrs. Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab is Head of the Agricultural Unit of the United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe (UNECE). The unit is responsible for sustainable quality infrastructure for fresh and dried fruit, nuts
and vegetables, meat, and seed potatoes. She manages a pool of 1000 international experts and hosts
regular inter-governmental sessions, workshops and training programs worldwide. She also manages field
projects, publishes guides and provides policy advice in many countries around the globe. Mrs. AnnovazziJakab has worked for over 20 years with international organizations including the UNECE; the United Nations
Trade and Development Organization (UNCTAD); the International Labour Organization (ILO); and the
International Trade Centre (ITC). Her focal areas are trade, agriculture/food, public-private partnerships, and
trade facilitation. Prior to joining the United Nations, she worked as a lawyer in law firms, government
agencies and the media industry.
Mrs. Annovazzi-Jakab holds a joint law degree from Mainz University, Germany and Georgetown University,
USA and a Master’s degree in International Law from Geneva’s Graduate Institute of International and
Development Studies.
Mr. Patrik Jonasson
Director
Public Policy Asia-Pacific GS1
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Patrik Jonasson is the GS1 Global Office representative in Asia-Pacific. GS1 is a global non-profit
organization that develops and manages the world’s most widely used supply chain standards system. He is
primarily charged with defining and executing strategies for external engagements in the region. The work
focuses primarily on cross-border trade processes, food safety, supply chain integrity and the roles that
government policies play in these domains. He regularly engages with external stakeholders at regional
levels, and he speaks and moderates frequently at international conferences and meetings and has
represented GS1 at UN, WCO, World Bank, ASEAN and APEC as well as at food safety and supply chain
conferences and workshops throughout Asia.
Mr. Jonasson has 15 years of experience studying and working in Asia-Pacific. He has been based in Japan,
Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. In previous roles, he represented businesses in trade and investment
dialogue with the Governments of ASEAN, working actively on market access and trade issues primarily in
support of increased trade and investment ties between the EU and ASEAN.
Mr. Jonasson has a Master of Science in Business Administration with Japanese studies from the School of
Business, Law & Economics at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. He is currently based in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia.
Mr. Katsuki Kishi
General Manager
Quality Management Department, ÆON Co., Ltd., Japan
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Katsuki Kishi is currently the General Manager of the Quality Management Department at ÆON Co., Ltd.
He is responsible for Quality Management for the ÆON Group in Japan and other Asian countries including
Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Viet Nam. He joined ÆON in
2004 as a specialist having previously spent 10 years in the quality control department at a brewing company.
Mr. Kishi was also appointed as the GFSI Project Leader at ÆON Co., Ltd. in 2014. Currently, he is a
member of the GFSI Board and has led local GFSI activities in Japan since being appointed as the Chair of
GFSI Japan Local Group in October 2015.
Mr. Kishi holds a Master’s Degree from the Food Chemistry Department within the Graduate School of
Agriculture at Kyoto University. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree from the Food Engineering Department of
the Faculty of Agriculture at Kyoto University. He also holds an MBA from Keio Business School.
Mr. Vichit Krupanyamat
General Manager
SAI Global, Thailand
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Vichit Krupanyamat is the Country Manager and General Manager for SAI Global (Thailand) Ltd. SAI
Global is an independent certification body providing services for certification to global standards and training
for compliance with ISO9001, 22000, 14001, BRC, IFS, retailer standards and second party audits, among
others. He has worked in the food and pet food industries and certification businesses for over 24 years in
roles that have included Supervisor, Manager, Lead auditor and Trainer, Director, COO to Country Manager.
Mr. Krupanyamat has a Master’s Degree in Food Engineering and a BSc in Agro Industry.
Ms. Maria Theresa S. Medialdia
Director of the Agricultural Development and Commercialization Department
Mekong Institute in Thailand
Email: [email protected]
Ms. Maria Theresa S. Medialdia is the Director of the Agricultural Development and Commercialization
Department at Mekong Institute in Thailand. She joined the Institute with more than 20 years of experience in
development work, research, project management, training, and teaching in various disciplines including
agricultural marketing, international trade, industrial organization, farming systems/sustainable agriculture,
community development, impact assessment, and project monitoring and evaluation. In her current position,
she has designed and implemented several capacity development projects which are regional in scope.
Prior to joining Mekong Institute, she worked as University Researcher and Affiliate Assistant Professor in the
University of the Philippines Los Banos and was on secondment to the International Rice Research Institute
and the Philippine’s Department of Agriculture in some years. She has worked mainly in the US, Philippines
and Thailand and in some years, in other Asian countries as researcher, trainer, facilitator and technical
adviser. She was also involved in consulting work with various international and private organizations.
She obtained her BS degree in Agribusiness from the University of the Philippines Los Banos, MS degree in
Agricultural Economics from University of Kentucky, USA, and post-graduate diploma in Executive Program
in Management from Maastricht School of Management, The Netherlands.
Mr. Pradeep Pant
Advisory Board Member
Lee Kong Chiang School of Business
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Pant is a business consultant, an Advisory Board Member of SMU Lee Kong Chiang School of Business
and as a Senior Advisor to the Hay Group and McKinsey & Co. He also sits on the Supervisory Boards of
Max BUPA Health Insurance India, Antara Senior Living India and Royal DSM N.V. Netherlands, among
others. He is the Founding President of Food Industry Asia (FIA).
With over 37 years of experience in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry, Mr. Pant is a seasoned
business leader, with a proven track record for turning organizations around. He has managed iconic brands
across some of the world’s fastest-growing and most complex emerging markets, including in the PRC, India,
Russia, Turkey, various countries in the Middle East and ASEAN, and in developed economies such as
Australia and New Zealand, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. Mr. Pant was Executive Vice President and
President of Asia Pacific (AP) and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) for Mondelēz
International, a company comprised of the global snacking and food brands formerly of Kraft Foods Inc.
Before joining Mondelēz, he was the Regional Managing Director for Fonterra Brands in Asia, Africa, and the
Middle East. He has also worked for The Gillette Company, Nestle, J Walter Thompson and the Tata group.
Mr. Pant holds a Master of Management Studies degree from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management
Studies, Bombay University, and a BA with Honors degree in Economics from Shri Ram College of
Commerce, Delhi University.
Dr. Phouang Parisak Pravongviengkham
Deputy Minister
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao PDR
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Phouang Parisak Pravongviengkham has worked in the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for over
35 years. He has fulfilled many roles in key policymaking and planning positions within the Ministry. He has
also led various research programs on livestock nutrition and fisheries. He has engaged with many
development programs and GMS counterparts over his many years of service to the Lao agricultural sector.
Dr. Pravongviengkham received his doctorate in Technical Science from the School of Environment,
Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology, in Bangkok, Thailand and his M. Sc. In
Agronomy from the University of Godollo, Hungary.
Mr. Pavit Ramachandran
Senior Environmental Specialist
South East Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Pavit Ramachandran is a Senior Environmental Specialist in the South East Asia Department (SERD) of
the Asian Development Bank. He has 19 years of experience in integrated natural resource management and
agriculture and environment diagnostics, project design, development, management and appraisal. He is
currently responsible for the processing and implementation of investment and technical assistance projects
covering agriculture, rural development and natural resource sectors in South-east Asia. He has extensive
experience working on regional cooperation designing and implementing projects in the Greater Mekong
Subregion (GMS), Coral Triangle Initiative, and the Heart of Borneo. His current portfolio includes the GMS
Agriculture and GMS Environment Programs administered out of the Thailand Resident Mission in Bangkok.
Mr. Ramachandran also serves as agriculture, natural resource and rural development focal point and team
leader for ADB’s operations in Myanmar.
Mr. Ramachandran has a Masters in Public Management from the University of Maryland, College Park and a
Masters from the Delhi School of Economics.
Panelists:
Mrs. Pimpapaan Chansilpa
Advisor to the Minister of Commerce
Ministry of Commerce, Thailand
Email: [email protected]
Mrs. Pimpapaan Chansilpa has over 15 years experience in the Ministry of Commerce, Thailand. She began
as Deputy Director General of DEP and has held various roles including General Inspector of the MOC and
CEO of SACiCT public organization. She has undertaken numerous training programs relating to business
management, markets and leadership both in Thailand and internationally.
Mrs. Chansilpa has a B.S.Econ with honors from Chulalongkorn University and an M.A. Econ from Bridgeport
University, Connecticut, USA.
Mr. Peerachote Charanwong (Sam)
Managing Director
Merit Food Products Co., Ltd. and TOTA
Email: [email protected], www.meritfood.co.th; www.thaiorganiccoconut.com
Mr. Peerachote Charanwong is the founder, owner and managing director of Merit Food Products Co., Ltd.,
the only integrated grower, manufacturer, and exporter of the organic coconut products in Thailand. Merit is
organically certified as both a producer and processor of coconut products in compliance with ACOS, COR,
EC834/2007, IFOAM, JAS, SA, USDA NOP, and Organic Brasil Organic Activities. He is also the current
chairman of Thai Organic Trade Association (TOTA). In this role he speaks in events on behalf of the Thai
organic industry processors and exporters.
Mr. Charanwong holds a B.Sc. Food Technology, from the Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University,
Thailand.
Dr. Kevin Chen
Director
PRC's International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Kevin Chen is a Senior Research Fellow and the China Program Leader for the International Food Policy
Research Institute (IFPRI). He is also Director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, jointly
run by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and IFPRI. He is currently co-editor of China
Agricultural Economic Review and managing editor for Asia of the journal ‘International Food and
Agribusiness Management Review’.
Dr. Chen was an assistant and associate professor at the Department of Resource Economics and Sociology
at the University of Alberta from 1995-2004. He served as an editor for the Canadian Journal of Agricultural
Economics from 2003-04. He has served as a consultant to many international organizations including the
World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Asian Development
Bank, the European Commission, the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the World Food
Programme (WFP), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA). His current research interests include food safety and value chain
development in China and Asia, the impact of public policies on China and Asia under rapid economic
transformation, modeling the interaction between labor and agricultural markets under rapid urbanization, and
the economics of water and climate change adaptation in China.
Mr. Li Hongtao
Deputy Director General
Foreign Economic Cooperation Center, Ministry of Agriculture, PRC
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Li Hongtao has worked in the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for over 25 years. He has managed and
coordinated numerous agricultural development projects and has extensive experience coordinating with
international collaborators and partners. Although based primarily in Beijing, he has worked with agriculture
sectors throughout China. He also spent two years as the Assistant of the Director General of Department of
Agriculture, Yunnan Province.
Dr. Hongtao received his Doctoral degree from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, his research
focused on agricultural economic management. He received his undergraduate degree from the College of
Agricultural and Economic Management, Beijing Agricultural University.
Dr. Sochivi Kao
Deputy Director General
Fisheries Administration, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Cambodia
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Sochivi Kao’s role encompasses a broad array of fishery management and development areas. Her roles
include oversight of marine research and development, fisheries conservation, combatting illegal fishing
activities, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. She is also the Chair of the Advisory Board
of the Women’s Association in the fisheries sector. She has worked extensively on fishery product safety and
quality improvement and assurances, in production and post-harvest. Dr. Kao leads various projects under
the ‘One Village, One Product’ in relation to fisheries products, including work with Prahoc in adapting and
establishing standards and assurances to promote market access. Dr. Kao has also held various academic
positions, including as Visiting Professor at the Royal University of Agriculture, Cambodia and Senior Social
Research Scientist.
Mr. Arrut Navaraj
Managing Director
Sampran Riverside
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Arrut Navaraj is the Managing Director of Sampran Riverside. Sampran Riverside is an eco-cultural
destination in Nakornpatom, 50km West of Bangkok. Seven years ago, he started to engage with local
farmers to promote organic agriculture under the Sampran Model, a dynamic business model developing
organic value chains based on fair trade and the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. Sampran Hotel serves
food produced from organic produce from the surrounding farmers, and is also proactive in linking small-scale
Thai organic farmers of markets, through their on-site weekend and their marketing and distribution support
for access to hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and other business interests in Bangkok. He works tirelessly
with farmers to improve safety standards and productivity, hosting regular training sessions. Prior to his
current role with Sampran Riverside, Mr. Navaraj joined Shell Thailand in 1992 as a supply operations analyst
and moved to Natwest Securities in 1994 as stock analyst. He then joined Amata Power in 1996, where he
spent the next 8 years in project financing before returning home to work for his family business, Sampran
Riverside.
Mr. Navaraj went to a boarding school in the UK from the age of 11 and graduated with a Master’s Degree in
chemical engineering from Imperial College, University of London.
Mr. Stephane Passeri
Project Coordinator
FAO
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Stephane Passeri is currently an Officer of the FAO and Project Coordinator of the FAO/AFD Project on
the Promotion of Rural Development through Development of Geographical Indications (GI) at Regional Level
in Asia. Mr. Passeri has extensive work experience on intellectual property rights (IPR). Before joining the
FAO, he was the Director of the European Patent Office (EPO) EU-ASEAN project on the Protection of
Intellectual Property Rights (ECAP III Phase 1) and the Administrator of the European Commission-ASEAN
Intellectual Property Rights Co-operation Programme (ECAP II). In the late 1990s, he was the Commercial
Attache and IP Regional Coordinator for Asia-Pacific for the French Ministry of Finance, Economy and
Industry. During this period, he was also the Regional Representative of the French National Institute of
Industrial Property and coordinated the ASEM IPR Working groups in the region. He has participated directly
in the drafting of legislations on IPR, including several pieces of legislation relating to GI, in Thailand,
Cambodia, Lao PDR and Indonesia, among others.
Mr. Passeri holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis in France and
a post-graduate degree in Finance and Management.
Mr. Serge Selbe
Managing Director and Co-Owner
Lao Fresh Meats Co., Ltd.
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Serge Selbe has over 25 years professional experience in the food and beverage and hospitality
industries internationally. He has worked extensively and a professional chef, restaurateur and hotelier in
France, the US and Lao PDR. Having established the well-known Pimenton restaurant in Vietiane in 2013 he
went on to build the only fully vertically integrated small/medium-scale pork and beef product supply chain in
Lao. Mr. Selbe’s supply chain is pioneering application of international food safety standards, processing and
packaging in the production of Laotian and international processed meat products for both the domestic and
neighboring GMS markets.
Mr. Selbe holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Tourist Management from Glion Institute of Higher
Education, Glion sur Montreux, Switzerland and a Diploma in Tourism and Commerce form the Academy de
Langue et de Commerce, Geneva, Switzerland.
Dr. Prum Somany
Director
Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(MAFF), Cambodia
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Prum Somany is a dedicated civil servant and a technical manager of MAFF. In 2016, he was appointed
as Director of the Department of International Cooperation, MAFF and concurrently as the Personal Assistant
to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Director of this
Department. He also held more than ten key positions in the Ministry including key positions at National
Steering Committee. He serves as the National Focal Point for various programs including for the GMSWorking Group of Agriculture. In 2006, Dr. Somany was the Deputy Director of the Inland Fisheries research
and Development Institute (IFReDI) of the Fisheries Administration, MAFF, in charge of Research, Planning
and Development.
Dr. Somany, obtained his Master’s and PhD degrees in Development Communication from the University of
the Philippines, Los Banos. He received the honor of “A lifetime membership of Delta Gamma Sigma Honor
Society Student in Agriculture”.
Dr. Than Than Sein
Vice Chairman
Myanmar Organic Grower and Producer Association
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Than Than Sein is currently a visiting professor in Mandalay, Technological University Biotechnology
Department. Dr Sein is now focused on organic farming in Myanmar, working on the establishment of PGS
certification initiatives. She previously worked as a lecturer in agriculture for 18 years at the State Agriculture
Institute and the Yangon Technological University. She has also served as a visiting professor in
Mahasarakhan University, Thailand.
Dr. Sein holds a PhD in Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology from the University of Camerino, Italy. She
also holds a Master of Science in Food Engineering and Bioprocess Technology from the Asian Institute of
Technology, Thailand and a B.Ag.
Mr. Sisouphonh Sihalath
General Director
Dao Heuang Group Co.Ltd
Email: [email protected]
Sisouphonh Sihalath is currently the General Manager of Dao Heuang Group Co., Ltd which is now one of
the largest and most progressive companies in Lao PDR. DHG is rapidly expanding and is known for
developing high quality brands of international standard. One of the group’s main focus is to care for the local
communities and citizens where it operates, be a guardian of the environment and act in ways that are
friendly and cooperative with other businesses to help the Lao economy grow in line with government policy.
Mr. Sihalath used to work at Department of International Fund Transfer and became deputy head of BCEL
Savannaketh Branch and head of Executive Chamber Secretariat. He studied in Vientiane capital from 1977
to 1983.
Dr. Tin Htut
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Myanmar
Email: [email protected]
As a Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MoALI), Dr. Htut
coordinates the seven departments within the Ministry, serves as a secretariat for the Minister and assists in
the management of MoALI. He currently holds the responsibility of Senior Official Meeting Leader for the
ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (SOM-AMAF) forum. In 2015, he was appointed as Permanent
Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation before this Ministry became a much larger organization.
Dr. Htut has also worked in academic institutions, serving as the Rector of Yezin Agricultural University, while
also holding the position of Director General of Department of Planning. As a plant breeder he conducted
collaborative work with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on breeding rice varieties resistant to
bacterial blight disease. In 2003, he was invited as a research fellow in the IRRI to assist in the genetic
analysis of iron-dense grains.
Dr. Htut completed his undergraduate degree at Yezin Agricultural University. He obtained his Master of
Science in Plant Breeding from University of North Carolina, USA. As an International Rice Research Institute
(IRRI) Ph.D. scholar, he studied and obtained his PhD on plant breeding at the University of the Philippines
Los Baños. Dr. Htut was recognized as one of IRRI’s most outstanding alumni in the field of rice research
management in 2010.
Mr. Vo Minh Khai
Company President and General Director
Vien Phu Organic & Health Foods JSC
Email: [email protected]
Recognizing rapidly increasing demand for organic products in both local and global markets, Mr. Vo Minh
Khai established Vien Phu Organic & Healthy Foods JSC (Vien Phu) in 2008. With over 30 years of
experience in agricultural commodity trading and 12 years working directly in agriculture sector, Mr. Khai has
a thorough understanding of the international standards for organic products. He has successfully developed
proprietary cultivation technologies, applied a closed production process, and subsequently introduced EU
and USDA certified organic products to the Vietnamese market under the brand HOASUAFOODS. Vien Phu
is a pioneer in Vietnamese organic farming, owning and operating a 317 ha. farm located in Ca Mau province
and integrated supply chain. Vien Phu’s products are grown in a zero-pollution fertile soil environment. Vien
Phu is currently planning a 200 ha. expansion of their organic rice production zone, in coordination with local
communities.
Mr. Khai holds a diploma in Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering, and qualifications relating to foreign
trade.
Mr. Ye Min Aung
Managing Director
Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation Limited (MAPCO)
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Ye Min Aung is a prominent business figure in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. He is currently the
Managing Director of the Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation (MAPCO), Secretary General of the
Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF), a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Union of Myanmar
Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry (UMFCCI), a Director at the Myanmar Microfinance
Institute, a Director at Eden Group, and a Managing Director at Ayeyar Hinthar Group of Companies. He also
holds other Executive-Directorate positions in numerous other private companies across a broad range of
industries. On top of his private sector involvement, Ye Min Aung is also highly committed working with
farmers and other stakeholders in the agriculture and rural development sector. He is passionate about youth
development and empowerment, and spends much of his time engaging with and motivating the younger
generation in Myanmar.
Mr. Aung received his M.A. from Yangon University and his Post-Graduate Diploma in Development Studies
from the Yangon Institute of Economics.
Moderators:
Mr. Christopher May
Managing Director
Bioglobal Consultancy Ltd
Email: [email protected]
Since 1992 Christopher May has been Managing Director for Bioglobal Consultancy Ltd. He has been
responsible for the design, implementation and team management of many successful projects related to the
strengthening of value chains for agricultural products in the Asia-Pacific Region, funded by private
companies and various public sector agencies. Mr. May’s specialist work includes engagement with
governments to develop policies that are supportive to organic agriculture and food safety and initiatives that
support smallholder farmers to enhance the quality of production, value add and market their products. Key
products include coffee, vegetables, livestock, wild harvested fruits, bamboo shoots, ginger and coconut
sugar and oil, among many others.Specific innovations aimed at addressing pro-poor development include
the development of the Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) with IFOAM Organics International, which
has now been widely adopted around the world.
Mr. May studied in New Zealand, obtaining his Bachelor’s degree at the Auckland University and a postgraduate diploma in Horticultural Science from Lincoln University.
Mr. Anthony M. Zola
Senior Researcher
Mekong Environment and Resources Institute (MERI)
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Anthony Zola, a senior researcher at the Mekong Environment and Resources Institute in Bangkok, has
extensive experience working on agricultural development in the countries of the GMS, having lived in the
subregion since 1970. From 1985 to 2008, Mr. Zola was CEO of MIDAS Agronomics, a Thai agribusiness
and consulting enterprise.
He has provided policy, planning, and technical assistance on land reform and consolidation; resettlement;
agribusiness development; agricultural supply-chains; trade facilitation; trade and environment; and social
entrepreneurship. Mr. Zola is also a lenders’ technical advisor to international commercial banks. In this role
he audits social and economic entitlements of people impacted by hydropower development in Laos, based
on Equator Principles, IFC Performance Standards, and World Bank and ADB Social Safeguards policies.
Mr. Zola has a graduate degree in economics from Maxwell School, Syracuse University, New York; an
undergraduate degree in international affairs from Elliott School, George Washington University, Washington,
DC; and a certificate in French Civilization from the University of Paris, Sorbonne.