Resource Efficiency Initiative SHARE gathers stakeholders in Cambodia

July 29, 2012 - PRLog -- SHARE (Sustainable, Hygenic, and Resource Efficiency for Cambodians) held its first Multi-stakeholder Discussion in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in Cambodiana Hotel and Somadevi Angkor, respectively last June 28 and 29, 2012.

Through the activity, project partners Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) Mekong and BAYER Material Science (Thailand, Cambodia), aimed to comprehensively review the current scenarios in agro- and seafood drying industries.

Bayer presented an overview of the advanced solar greenhouse dryer concept. From these initial discussions, gaps, needs, challenges and opportunities were brought forward to guide project implementation.

SHARE is an 18-month initiative that seeks to promote a dramatic improvement on the practice of drying agricultural produce and seafood by installing pilot solar dryers. This project will also increase the local technical know-how and attract and motivate other relevant stakeholders to engage in the venture.

Bayer Thai Company Ltd Managing Director Celina Chew welcomed the participants, while Dr. Meas Pyseth from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries presented the importance of solar dryer in Cambodia. Bayer Thai General Manager Veeralakshmanan Bagavathi then introduced the project mechanics. Finally, Silpakorn University Associate Professor presented the history of solar dryer technology and how it reduced the post-harvest loss in Thailand.

Following the activity, the project implementers will select four  interest cooperatives and communities to install the solar dryers. One will be installed in Royal University of Agriculture.

ASSIST is an international non-profit organization focused on capacity-building. It seeks to promote sustainable practices to address social problems in the developing world, with focus on Asia and Africa. It takes pride in its process-oriented approach to capacity building towards social improvement and sustainable transformation. Its goal is to empower its target groups to make them resilient to the social, economic, and environmental challenges.

It is presently based in Makati City, but also has operations in India and Vietnam and manages projects in over 10 countries. Through its Partner to Progress philosophy, it has successfully implemented such projects in collaboration with the European Union, United Nation Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), USAID, International Finance Corporation (IFC), GIZ, and DEG/ KFW amongst other organizations. #