Participants of SATNET interregional visit take part in Workshop on Good Practices in Trade Facilitation

On day 4 (26 September 2014) of the Interregional Visit for Smallholder Value Chain Actors on Agricultural Trade Facilitation and Market Linkages in Thailand, the participants took part in the ‘SATNET Asia Workshop on Good Practices in Agricultural Trade Facilitation in South and Southeast Asia’ organized by the Trade and Investment Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in collaboration with multiple partners, in Bangkok. The objective of the workshop was to enable inter- and intra-regional learning among participating countries on policies, measures, initiatives, projects or cases that facilitate trade of agriculture or food products.

Close to 40 delegates from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Nepal representing government, private sector and civil society stakeholders participated in the workshop. The various sessions focussed on cases and processes relating to agricultural trade facilitation, good practices in logistics and trade facilitation, and the emergence of standards and traceability. A number of senior policymakers and experts served as resource persons and shared their knowledge and experience with the participants. 

During the wrap up session of the workshop, participants provided their feedback on both the Interregional Visit and the Workshop. They conveyed that the site visits to Kasetsart University, Thayang farmers cooperative, Talaad Thai wholesale market, and Sampran Riverside resort had enhanced their capacities and provided them useful knowledge and practical insights which they will implement and disseminate in their home countries. The need for continuing a network like SATNET beyond the immediate duration of the project was also expressed. In the workshop, the sharing of cases from various countries and the discussion on Traceability were found to be particularly relevant.