The ACIAR delegation included team members from Australia, India,
Indonesia, Kenya, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea,
People’s Republic of China, Philippines, and Vietnam.
Welcomed by AIT’s Vice President for Research, Prof. Kanchana
Kanchanasut, the team were exposed to the research and academic
activities in AIT’s School of Environment, Resources and Development
(SERD) by the School Dean, Prof. C Visvanathan. Prof. Kanchana informed
ACIAR that AIT is currently engaged in research projects worth 40
million USD. Dr. Gabrielle Groves Punyaratabandhu, Head, External
Relations and Communications Office (ERCO) presented an overview of the
Institute.
Dr. Clemens Grünbühel, who is spearheading a research project funded by
ACIAR in Myanmar, presented a project brief on “Strengthening
Institutional Capacity, Extension Services and Rural Livelihoods in the
Central Dry Zone and Ayeyarwady Delta Regions of Myanmar.”
The ACIAR Team also met with representatives of five thematic teams
from AIT including Gender and Development, representatives of CIRAD
seconded to AIT, AgriBusiness and AgriSystems Engineering, Aquaculture,
Regional and Rural Development, Climate Change and Sustainable
Development.
David Shearer, General Manager, Corporate, ACIAR described the visit to
AIT as “hugely informative” and “insightful.” It is particularly useful
to understand how AIT contributes to development for the region, and
beyond, with such a global perspective, he added. The ACIAR Team
included David Shearer, Peter Horne, Sarah Bourne and Julien from
Australia; Kuhu Chatterjee and Simrat Labana from India; Mirah Nuryati
and Maria Ludwina from Indonesia; Karen D’Dimpsaar and Liz Ogutu from
Kenya; Phonesavanh Latmany from Lao PDR; Myo Thura from Myanmar;
Munawar Raza Kazmi from Pakistan; Rebecca Bogosia and Emily Flowers
from Papua New Guinea; Wang Guanglin from People’s Republic of China;
Cecilia Honrado and Maria Rassel Faylon from the Philippines; Nguyen
Thi Thanh An, and Nguyen Thi Lan Phuong from Vietnam.
