On 14 January 2022, Mr. Chanpithya Shimphalee, General Manager of the APTERR Secretariat, undertook the role of a panelist in the international webinar on “Global Rice Market under and beyond COVID-19: Trends, Challenges, and Policy Responses” organised by the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Kasetsart University and the Agricultural Economics Society of Thailand under Royal Patronage. It had an objective to provide platform for various relevant actors from diverse backgrounds to present and discuss the ways forward for sustainable food system, particularly rice, under the context of COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Chanpithya highlighted the components and elements of APTERR mechanism, and how they worked to address COVID-19’s impacts on food security throughout the ASEAN Plus Three region. In this regard, the role of APTERR in strengthening food availability and accessibility during the potential rice supply disruption, especially for the vulnerable group of people, was greatly appreciated. Other interesting and insightful discourses were also shared by the experts in the areas of rice market and industry including Mr. V. Subramanian, Vice President of The Rice Trader; Dr. Harold Valera, Scientist from International Rice Research Institute; and Mr. Michel Peperkamp, Director of ICI Business.
