On July 18, 2023, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chalat Santivarangkna, Director of the Institute of Nutrition Attended the FAO Regional Organizing Group for OCOP holds its first meeting to advance sustainable agri-food systems in Asia and the Pacific on 18 July 2023 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, as Vice-Chair selected from experts outside FAO, working with Prof Chuang Liu, Director of Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, to provide academic advice for the implementation of the One Country One Priority Product initiative (OCOP) for Asia and the Pacific (FAO-RAP), OCOP is an initiative within the strategic framework of FAO. For 2022-2031, the goal is to promote participatory agricultural food systems for economic benefits and environmental preservation, with a focus on sustainable development of the Special Agriculture Product value chain, OCOP focuses on
(1) increasing productivity and ensuring healthy food
(2) reducing food loss and waste. and protect biodiversity
(3) increase water and land use efficiency
(4) minimize the use of agricultural chemicals
(5) cope with climate change.
In addition, on July 19, 2023, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chalat Santivarangkna gave a lecture on experiences from Thailand’s One Tambon One Product (OTOP) and Geographical Indication (GI) of Thailand for OCOP development at the Workshop on the Implementation of OCOP Country Projects in Asia and the Pacific to more than 200 participants from other countries in Asia and the Pacific.
