Thailand

A joint forum was held in November 2006, supported by the Australia-Thailand Institute, to re-examine the broader agricultural research relationship. Eight themes were identified:

• R&D to support common interests in natural resource management and sustainable agriculture
• research to build onto joint endeavours to reduce and eliminate international agricultural protection and subsidisation
• enhanced scientific and policy exchanges on biosecurity research and implementation
• added attention to value-chain research and agribusiness development
• sharing of experiences and systems knowledge in the application of biotechnology sciences and regulatory services
• continued engagement on agricultural research capacity building and education
• consideration of bioenergy prospects and scope for improved partnerships in a bilateral or wider context
• collaboration in the dissemination of research outputs, evaluation and assessments.

Based on these themes, subsequent discussions with Thailand partners were completed and four new areas for ACIAR cooperation with Thailand were developed in 2007-08. These are:

• plant biosecurity, including molecular identification of quarantine pests
• development of fish passage technology
• livestock biosecurity, with an emphasis on improving vaccine quality and disease management systems
• working with poor communities to improve rice production on poor soils in north-eastern Thailand (NGO collaboration).

ACIAR funding on bilateral projects with Thailand will not change significantly in line with the increasing ability of Thai partners to co-invest in projects of mutual importance. Overall funding increased moderately to accommodate joint funding of regional and trans-boundary projects with third countries.