GMS FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, KEY ACTORS ENCOURAGE MORE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR GREEN FINANCE IN THE REGION

Agricultural Development and Commercialization
In a webinar Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS): Green Finance as a Critical Trigger on April 8, 2022, Mekong Institute (MI) and the Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (APRACA) engaged financial institutions, development partners, academe, and the private sector in a discussion on the current state of green and climate finance to agriculture and the overarching policy environment to support the initiatives in the region.

The Food System has been widely recognized in providing an integrated and holistic approach to SDGs, particularly the livelihoods and well-being of the small-scale farmers and their rural communities. Financial services and green investment are the critical means in realising sustainable food systems,

He highlighted that the discussions in the webinar are important in promoting the role and contribution of finance in the agriculture sector and food systems. 

The first technical session focused on the challenges, key drivers of change and examples of innovative solutions in promoting green finance in the GMS. Members of the panel include representatives from Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, and Nguyen Khoi Farm.

to make green finance to agrifood system happen, it requires adaptation of systematic approach to building a comprehensive strategy and more cooperation framework

He also encouraged the practice of green agriculture and its standardisation and certification systems to instil trust and confidence in the society and investing institutions. 

For the second technical session panellists from the Global Green Growth Institute, Asian Institute of Technology, and Vietnam Bank for Social Policies touched on some of the key areas of technical and policy interventions required to underpin the importance of green and climate finance in building resilience to the agrifood sector. Dr. Manab Chakraborty, Adviser to the Government of Bangladesh for the World Bank project on Livestock and Dairy Development and the moderator for the session, emphasized in his session summary the need to strengthen domestic finance to support local green agriculture, as well as promote the importance of green agriculture to ensure more financial services for farmers.

To close the webinar, Mr. CSR Murthy, Chief General Manager & Representative of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, wished for the countries to recognize the need to build on adaptation measures which recognize the cooperation of government and the private sector as this is critical for a stronger green financing that benefits more farming communities, especially those that face climate risks.

This webinar is the first event organised by MI and APRACA this year under the project ‘Supporting Learning and Capabilities for Scaling Up Agricultural Finance Activities in the GMS’ which started in 2021.

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Mrs. Guohua Liu

Director, Sustainable Energy & Environment (SEE) Department

Mrs. Liu Guohua is the Director of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Department at the Mekong Institute. Prior to this role, she worked in the Department of International Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, where she played a key role in shaping and implementing China’s cooperation strategies with UN development agencies. During this time, Mrs. Liu was actively involved in advancing initiatives related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on climate change and green development. Additionally, she contributed to the evaluation of projects funded by various Chinese initiatives, such as the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, etc.

In addition to her work in the Department of International Economic Affairs, Mrs. Liu has an extensive diplomatic background. She spent 7 years in the Department of African Affairs, followed by a 4-year tenure at the Chinese Embassy in Lao PDR, where she gained deep expertise in both Southeast Asian and African affairs. These diverse experiences have played a crucial role in shaping her approach to sustainable development and international collaboration, particularly in building regional partnerships and tackling global challenges like climate change.

She holds a Master’s degree in Economics, with a specialization in Finance, from the Central University of Finance and Economics, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, specializing in International Economics and Trade, from the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics.