Myanmar National Project Workshop for Mekong Creates and Mekong Connect Successfully Convened

The Myanmar National Project Workshop for the Mekong Creates and Mekong Connect initiatives was successfully held on 8 July at Pan Pacific Hotel, Yangon. The workshop was organized by the Mekong Institute (MI) with support from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Mekong–Republic of Korea Cooperation, marking the official launch of activities to be implemented across Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

As the National Coordinator for Myanmar, Myanmar Innovative Life Sciences (MILS) participated actively alongside representatives from UN agencies—including FAO—development partners, civil society organizations, sectoral associations, and private-sector entities engaged in agriculture and food systems.

The workshop opened with remarks delivered by:

• Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, Executive Director, Mekong Institute

• Mr. Aung Ko Win, Agronomy Specialist and OiC Representative, FAO Myanmar

• Mr. Kyaw Thu Htet, Founder & CEO, Myanmar Innovative Life Sciences (MILS)

Following the opening session, Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn presented an overview of the Mekong Creates Project, highlighting its objectives, its focus on disseminating knowledge on Climate-Smart Agriculture, and planned activities to be implemented broadly across Myanmar to strengthen resilience within the food and agriculture sector.

A panel discussion titled “Transitions in Turbulence: Building Resilient Food Systems Amid Climate Disruption and Institutional Fragility” was conducted, facilitated by Mr. Kyaw Thu Htet, Founder & CEO of MILS. Panelists included:

• Mr. Bobby, Managing Director, Doe Kyay Latt Co., Ltd. and CEO, Network Activities Group (NAG)

• Dr. Myint Lwin, Freelance Consultant

• Ms. Thiri Aung, Founder & CEO, Women Transforming Myanmar

• Mr. Nyi Linn Htet, Programme Management Specialist

The session brought together diverse perspectives on emerging challenges and opportunities for strengthening resilience within Myanmar’s food systems.

In the afternoon, participants continued discussions on the implementation roadmap for the Mekong Connect initiative. The workshop concluded successfully later in the day following productive exchanges among stakeholders.

This national consultation marks an important step toward enhancing the resilience of Myanmar’s food systems amid the growing impacts of climate change and institutional fragility. The Mekong Creates and Mekong Connect projects are expected to contribute significantly to long-term, sustainable agricultural transformation across the Mekong region.