Hanoi, 23/09/2024 – On September 18th, AICS Hanoi attended the Workshop on Biomass Energy Promotion for Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural Development in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region.
APEC is the premier Asia-Pacific economic forum supporting sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the region.
The event, organized by the International Cooperation Department of the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and held in Hanoi, was a significant gathering. It brought together line ministries, stakeholders, and key experts from the ASEAN region and the Pacific. The two-day workshop aimed to raise awareness and interest in the multi-dimensional benefits of biomass energy for agricultural-rural development and environmental protection, while also exploring opportunities for biomass energy within climate policy and finance. It also sought to facilitate the transfer of know-how and practices and foster discussion on a regional strategy for biomass energy development, underlining the importance of the Workshop.
AICS Hanoi’s participation is part of the broader partnership between the Italian Development Cooperation and ASEAN in promoting sustainable practices in agriculture, fisheries, renewable energies and the food value chain.
Marco Gaspari, AICS Hanoi Environmental sector Coordinator, participated in the “Biomass for Growth” panel. Panelists share their views on the opportunities and challenges of involving rural farmers in biomass energy projects and the potential of carbon credit markets to provide additional revenue streams for the sector.
Mr. Gaspari addressed the role of rural cooperatives based on the circular economy model of Italian agro-energy cooperatives and how coffee residues could be used for producing biochar and clean energy. The panelists further delved into how the potential of agricultural residues for carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas, GHG, emission reduction could be leveraged to attract private-sector investment and generate carbon credits.