The research competition titled “Enabling Bio-Innovation for Poverty
Alleviation in Asia” was organized by the Asian Institute of
Technology (AIT), with financial support from the Canada’s
International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Each award-winner is
entitled to a funding grant of up to (CAN) $18,000 to pursue their
research focused on Asia.
This year, a total of 108 research entries pertaining to 15 countries
were submitted from across the Asian region. Seven proposals were
selected for financial awards based on their relevance and directness
at addressing bio-innovation and its implications on poor people’s
livelihoods and/or basic health. The winners included international
researchers from the United States, United Kingdom, China, Philippines,
Thailand and Nepal.
Research proposals selected for funding by IDRC sufficiently answered
three questions: What drives and enables bio-innovations in Asia? Are
biotechnological advances, institutions and policies pro-poor? What can
be done to further promote bio-innovations and make them serve to
alleviate poverty in the region? This was the second time
that such awards have been announced. To date, a total of seven small
grant projects have been awarded.
AIT Vice President for Research, Prof. Sudip K. Rakshit, while
congratulating the winners, stated that the project aims to
stimulate and enable research on bio-innovation systems in Asia.
According to Dr. Ellie Osir, Senior Program Specialist, IDRC Regional
Office for Southeast and East Asia, the projects address poverty
alleviation, while initiating the building of a network of researchers
and scholars committed to understanding and enhancing bio-innovation,
which is both economically progressive and socially responsible.
AIT was represented at the event by Prof. Sudip Rakshit, Vice President
for Research; Dr. Edsel Sajor, Assistant Professor; Dr.
Bernadette Resurreccion, Associate Professor; and Ms Lena Sthapit,
Project Manager, EBPA Project.
List of the Competition Winners:
• Ms Cecilia Oh, Affiliated to the Program on Global
Health and Technology Access at the Sanford School of Public Policy,
Duke University (Research Area based on Thailand)
Topic: Intellectual Property Pooling and Open Source Innovation:
Promoting Alternative Innovation Systems for Public Health
• Dr Qiaoqiao Zhang of CABI Southeast and East
Asia, China
Topic: Benefits and Risks of Genetically Modified Crops – the impact on
the rural poor in China
• Mr Marlon Sepe of Mindanao Center for Research and
Development Cooperative (MCRDC), Philippines
Topic: Impact of Biosand Filter on Access to Safe Drinking Water in the
Rural Communities of the Philippines
• Ms Natthawadi (Sarah) Rutherford, Mr Jeff
Rutherford, Dr Tira Foran of Fair Earth Consulting Co., Thailand
Topic: Mapping the Transmission of Knowledge in Natural Farming
Innovations in Chiang Mai Province
• Dr Wei Geng of Tianjin University of Finance and
Economics, China
Topic: Bio-Innovation for Edible Mushroom Cultivation and Trade for
Poverty Alleviation
• Ms Sarah Carter of UK Biochar Research Centre,
University of Edinburgh (Research Area based on Cambodia and
India)
Topic: Participative Distributed Innovation Processes and Biochar:
Carbon Reduction, Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Management
• Ms Geeta Bhatrai Bastakoti of Forum for Rural
Welfare and Agricultural Reform for Development-Nepal, Nepal
Topic: Small scale aquaculture initiative in Nepal: Understanding
gender implications and sustainability of innovative approach
For more information on the project, contact Ms Lena Sthapit (lena@ait.ac.th) Tel 02-524-5671; bio-innovations@ait.ac.th
http://www.bioinnovationpolicies.ait.asia/
