Policy dialogue on a bioeconomy for sustainable development in Thailand

The report details a participatory workshop in Thailand where stakeholders from agriculture, biotechnology, and social science backgrounds developed three distinct visions for a sustainable bioeconomy. These visions range from an ecology-focused approach prioritizing farmer well-being and environmental sustainability to a technology-driven approach focused on R&D and economic growth. The analysis emphasizes the importance of public-private partnerships, regional ASEAN cooperation, and the specific cultural importance of rural development in the Thai context.

• Stakeholders identified several universal priority themes for a sustainable bioeconomy regardless of their professional background, most notably the need for public-private partnerships, bottom-up initiatives, increased sustainable consumption, and improved well-being for farmers.
• One proposed vision emphasizes a bio-ecology approach where agriculture and energy are central, aiming for zero fossil fuel use and 100% access to sustainable food, with success measured by poverty reduction and income increases for farmers.
• A second vision focuses on decentralization, advocating for a shift from large-scale vertical production to small-scale horizontal systems to ensure social and environmental sustainability, while institutionalizing the inclusion of women and indigenous groups.
• A third vision is primarily technology-oriented, arguing that Thailand lacks sufficient technological capacity and requires massive R&D investment and cooperation with the global North and ASEAN members to drive economic growth and reduce GHG emissions.
• Compared to existing literature, the visions developed in Thailand show a uniquely strong emphasis on social components and rural development, which the authors attribute to the high importance of rural activities in the Thai economy.
• The report identifies key policy leverage points including the installation of decentralized renewable energy systems, the creation of multi-stakeholder platforms, and the sharing of bioeconomy knowledge at the ASEAN regional level.

APA

Gladkykh, G., Aung, M. T., Takama, T., Johnson, F. X., & Fielding, M. (2020). Policy dialogue on a bioeconomy for sustainable development in Thailand. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/200128a-mash-fielding-workshop-bioeconomy-thailand-pr-1912g.pdf

Chicago

Gladkykh, Ganna, May Thazin Aung, Takeshi Takama, Francis X. Johnson, and Matthew Fielding. Policy dialogue on a bioeconomy for sustainable development in Thailand. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2020. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/200128a-mash-fielding-workshop-bioeconomy-thailand-pr-1912g.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{gladkykh2020policy, author = {Gladkykh, Ganna and Aung, May Thazin and Takama, Takeshi and Johnson, Francis X. and Fielding, Matthew}, title = {{Policy dialogue on a bioeconomy for sustainable development in Thailand}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2020}, month = jan, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/200128a-mash-fielding-workshop-bioeconomy-thailand-pr-1912g.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }