On 22nd August, 2023, the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP-CSAM) attended the ‘Regional Knowledge Sharing Session on Leveraging South-South Value Chains to Promote Special Agriculture Products’ which was part of a 10-day capacity building programme co-organized by the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) and the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGSNRR/CAS).

FAO launched the Global Action (GA) on Green Development of Special Agro-Products (SAPs), themed “One Country One Priority Product” (OCOP) in September 2021, with the focus on supporting its members for the transformation of their agricultural sectors towards more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems through the green development of SAPs.

The Regional Session promoted knowledge sharing on South-South value chain practices and solutions among partners from the global South, and enhanced understanding of the participating officials from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal, and Papua New Guinea of the SAP market and applicable technologies. 

CSAM presented about the key role of sustainable agricultural mechanization in the agricultural development of global South countries and about its initiatives contributing to OCOP. 

The event was hosted by Beijing Agricultural Machinery Demonstration Centre of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Mechanization Sciences (CAS) in Beijing, with over 20 participants.