Bangkok, Thailand — September 23, 2025 — Mr. Suriyan, Executive Director of Mekong Institute (MI), served as moderator in two high-level plenary sessions at the Friends of Thai Agriculture (FTA) Conference 2025 held at True Digital Park, Bangkok.

Themed “Putting Out the Fire: Advancing Solutions for Sustainable Post-Harvest Biomass Utilization”, the conference convened government officials, international partners, private sector leaders, and researchers to address the urgent challenge of agricultural burning and its far-reaching impacts on health, climate, and livelihoods.

In the morning’s Scene-Setting Plenary, Mr. Suriyan guided discussions that underscored the scale of agricultural burning in Thailand and the region, as well as the opportunities for innovative, sustainable biomass solutions. He emphasized the need for collaborative approaches that place farmers at the center of change while aligning with national and regional climate goals.

In the afternoon’s Synthesis and Next Steps Plenary, he steered a forward-looking dialogue that drew together key insights from the day’s sessions. The discussion focused on concrete actions—policy reforms, technology adoption, and multi-stakeholder partnerships—that can accelerate the transition from open burning to sustainable post-harvest practices.

The FTA Conference, co-located with the AGRIFUTURE Conference & Exhibition 2025, was organized by the Friends of Thai Agriculture, a coalition of agricultural counsellors from various embassies in Thailand, in cooperation with DLG, GIZ Thailand, and the German-Thai Agricultural Cooperation (GETHAC) Project.

MI’s active engagement in this platform reflects its commitment to advancing regional cooperation for climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture in the Mekong and beyond.