Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai – The Innovative Climate Risk Financing for the Agricultural Sector in the ASEAN Region Project (AgriCRF) recently concluded its training series on financial literacy and preparation for climate risks in agricultural sector with a final session for over 300 farmers in a northernmost province of Chiang Rai’s Chiang Saen district.
AgriCRF is a three and a half year project, which runs from January 2023 to June 2026. The aim is to improve climate resilience, promote gender equality and availability of financial products regarded as the three key solutions to sustainable agriculture.
The training series was piloted in Doi Saket district, Chiang Mai province in July 2024. Since then, this training series has equipped as many as 3,800 farmers and customer development staff of the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) with enhanced knowledge and capacity essential for effectively managing and implementing climate smart agricultural operation and preparation for climate risks and impacts among farmers who are BAAC clients.
For a newcomer to farming like Romchat Wongwarapat, participating into the one-day training on climate risks and financial literacy provided by BAAC benefited a lot. An office lady-turned-farmer shared her experience on the importance of climate resilience to farming household.
After leaving her 9-to-5 job in Bangkok and returning to her hometown last year, she decided to invested in wolffia cultivation that requires clean water and adequate nutrients. The first attempt unsurprisingly failed. Unstable weather affected water quality and temperature suitable for the superfood growth. Lacking capacity and skills, or even financial planning, her first batch of wolffia died.
Romchat Wongwarapat, farmer andBAAC client
It is also the first time for Arkaporn Oumjang, one of the BAAC training staff, to start running the activity as a facilitator. “I am proud that my role is more than just being a one-way communicator to the farmers. Putting in practice skills learned from joining in the training-of-trainer (ToT) workshop introduced by the project enable me and the team to manage workshops by guiding hundreds of participants who are farmers and bank clients toward productive discussions, outcomes while fostering positive
and inclusive atmosphere, and ensuring all voices are heard and respected,” he said, added that he could also put into practice facilitation strategies and tools learned from the ToT workshop to build understanding towards climate resilience and keep the group focused.
A total of 40 BAAC provincial staff who are speakers and trainers similar to Arkaporn previously attended a series of three-day ToT workshop to learn about awareness of climate risks in agriculture and climate resilience solutions and practical guideline for training facilitation. The aim is to equip the trainers, so they will be ready for passing on knowledge and skills to local farmers who are clients of the bank.
Julian Tost, AgriCRF Project Director,
GIZ Thailand
Julian Tost, AgriCRF Project Director, GIZ Thailand, said: “Climate change means that large parts of a harvest can be destroyed by drought or flooding. The financial damage can easily ruin a farmer. We help farmers to save costs and improve income through sustainable agriculture practices. We also provide better access for banks and insurance companies to weather and satellite data, which they can use to better calculate risks and offer cheaper credit and crop insurance. This benefits everyone. Banks and insurance companies gain more customers, and farmers are better protected. If farmers can protect themselves from the effects of climate change, this relieves the burden on governments and ultimately on the taxpayers in the region. This is how we help to protect against climate risks in Southeast Asia – for the benefit of farmers, of consumers, and of taxpayers.”
Wichai Paksa, BAAC Office of Foreign Affairs Director, said “Working with GIZ through this project has prepared the bank staff to be ready for dealing with climate change impact and resilience among our clients who are local farmers across the country. This is a new learning experience that could enhance not only our in-house training but also capacity building process among BAAC staff. In time we will also work with related departments to adapt the ToT training modules introduced by the project for integrating into our regular organizational training activities in the long run. ■
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