On 21 September 2023, NXPO hosted a country workshop, aimed at assessing the present state of research and development within the cassava value chain. The workshop is a component of the project titled “Policy Design and Implementation Support for the Sustainability of Cassava Value Chain”, implemented under the South-South and Triangular Collaboration Programme on Science, Technology and Innovation – a collaborative effort established by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), NXPO and partner organizations in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam. 

In this workshop, NXPO, in conjunction with the Biochemical Engineering and Systems Biology Research Group of the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), invited experts, stakeholders and organizations actively engaged in the cassava value chain to share information and provide their perspectives on the current status of research, research directions and the development of technologies and innovations relevant to the cassava value chain. Participants included representatives from both public and private organizations, such as the Thai Tapioca Starch Association, the Thai Tapioca Products Factory Association, the Thai Tapioca Trade Association, and the Department of Agriculture. Given cassava’s significance as one of Thailand’s major economic crops, discussions also revolved around strategies to enhance the competitiveness of the entire cassava value chain, spanning crop production, starch production, and the generation of biogas from wastewater and cassava pulp. The information gathered from this workshop will be compiled into a comprehensive report. 

The goal of the Policy Design and Implementation Support for the Sustainability of Cassava Value Chain Project is to formulate STI policies and a technology roadmap for the Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG) for Cambodia, Lao PDR, Viet Nam and Thailand to foster the sustainability of cassava value chain.