BANGKOK: The Asia and Pacific Seed Association (APSA) and the Department of Agriculture under Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, today (May 21) formalized mutual cooperation to strengthen seed-related research initiatives in the Asia Pacific region.
Cooperation between the two organizations was cemented with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by APSA’s Executive Director, Mrs. Heidi Gallant and the DoA’s Director-General, Dr. Suwit Chaikiattiyos.
The MoU effectively provides a framework for APSA and the DoA to build capacity in national and regional quality seed production through information exchange, and organization of research, conferences, workshops and training programs.
The signing ceremony, held at the DoA’s Bangkok Office near Kasetsart University in Bang Khen district, was attended by officers from seven seed-concerned divisions of the DoA, as well as officers and executives from the APSA Secretariat, Thai Seed Trade Association, Kasetsart University and the World Vegetable Centre.
After the signing ceremony, reps from the two organizations met to discuss specific areas of cooperation moving forward.
Several priority areas were identified at the meeting, including the exchange of information covering country-by-country regulation updates and trends; and organizing capacity-building activities that focus on everything from the latest techniques used in gene bank and germplasm management, to genetic purity, seed pathology, and diagnostics.
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