Sixth MKCF Call

Country

Proponent

Title

Objective(s)

Sector/Priority Area

Duration

Cambodia

Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM)

Capacity Building for Sustainable and Climate Change Resilient Water Resource Management in Mekong River Basin

To develop capacities on flood forecasting and warning system,  integrated water resources management,  water-related issues to cope with climate change as well as to strengthen future cooperation in the water resources management between Mekong region including Cambodia and Republic of Korea

Environment

2 years 6 months

Lao PDR

Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) - Research institute for Energy and Mines (RIEM)

Development and Promoting of Solar Drying Utilization for agricultural and ODOP products

To promote utilization of solar dryer for improve quality of dried product for farmer, agriculture product enterprise

Agriculture and Rural Development

2 years

Myanmar

School of Industrial Training and Education (SITE) and KRIVET

Strengthening TVET Management and Upskilling TVET Personnel to Meet Industry Demand Reflecting IR 4.0

To develop new skills of TVET personnel from Myanmar and Vietnam by providing  intensive upskilling trainings

Human Resources Development

2 years

Vietnam

Southern Institute of Ecology (SIE)

Building a Portal of Ecosystems and Biodiversity Information for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development for the Mekong Delta (Ecobank Mekong)

To support the Mekong Delta’s sustainable socio-economic development and biodiversity conservation planning through providing an open consensus database of
natural ecosystems and associating biodiversity

Environment

2 years 6 months

Thailand

Ministry of Interior of Thailand - Department of Provincial Administration

Enhancing People-to-People Connectivity to Address Non-traditional Security Challenges in the Mekong Region

To supplement the ongoing
efforts and the capacities of the governments of Thailand, Lao PDR and Cambodia, to comprehensively and effectively address cross-border crimes, primarily human trafficking and drug trafficking in its border areas

Non-traditional Security Challenges

2 years

ROK

Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCo)

ICT for Adaptation to Climate Change and Forest Fire Management in Mekong Region

To showcase an ICT-based forest fire management (FFM) system in Cambodia and Viet Nam, enhance in-country capability of government and stakeholders in using the ICT-based FFM system and develop rollout plan as well as enhance international cooperation on forest fire and related threats for the Mekong region

Information and Communication Technology

2 years 9 months

IO

International Rice Research Institute, University of the Philippines (IRRI)

Rice Straw-Based Circular Economy for Improved Biodiversity and Sustainability (RiceEco)

To develop a sustainable circular economy (CE), including rice straw-based bio-fertilizer, bio-plastics, and an ICT tool for optimizing rice straw logistics, complemented with adjusted business models and targeted behavioral interventions for farmers and other value chain stakeholders

Environment

3 years

MI

Mekong Institute

Capacity Building on Regional Project Design, Implementation, Monitoring & Evaluation of MKCF Projects

To enhance capacities of the eligible partners under the MKCF program by reinforcing regional cooperation and integration through designing and delivering collaborative projects across the seven priority sectors of the MKCF

Human Resource Development

3 years

Title of the project

Capacity Building for Sustainable and Climate Change Resilient Water Resource Management in Mekong River Basin

Priority Area / Sector

Environment

Implementing Agency

Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM)

Status

Ongoing

Objective(s)

To develop capacities on flood forecasting and warning system, integrated water resources management, water-related issues to cope with climate change as well as to strengthen future cooperation in the water resources management between Mekong region including Cambodia and Republic of Korea.

Key Achievements / Milestones

1. The project has been launched in March 2023. During the launching, the challenges faced by the Mekong River basin and the ongoing efforts has been discussed and capacity of the Cambodian government, in cooperation with Thailand, Lao PDR, Vietnam, and Myanmar to address climate-resilient water resource management and provide effective capacity building.

2. Partnership with K-Water has been finalized in form of an MoU to deliver project outputs include study, training, and workshops.

Regionality

Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Viet Nam, Thailand

Contact Person

Mr. Sunthan Huong, email: [email protected]

Title of the project

Development and Promoting of Solar Drying Utilization for Agricultural and ODOP Products

Priority Area / Sector

Agricultural and Rural Development

Implementing Agency

Research institute for Energy and Mines (RIEME), Ministry of Energy and Mines

Status

Ongoing

Objective(s)

To promote utilization of solar dryer for improve quality of dried product for farmer and agriculture product enterprise

Key Achievements / Milestones

1. The project has been launched on in January 2023. As a regional project, the implementing agency has been informed by Mekong Institute to add activity in sharing the project benefits with other Mekong countries.

2. Completed recruitment of the team members to implement the project activities within the next two years.

3. Ongoing preparation of data collection tools for survey on demand and characteristic of drying agriculture products and substance to be dried such as tea leaf, coffee bean, grain, meat, fish, noodle, banana to support and One District One Product (ODOP).

Regionality

Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar, Viet Nam, Thailand

Contact Person

Mr. Vilaythong Airmixay, email: vilaythongair@gmail.com

Title of the project

Strengthening TVET Management and Upskilling TVET Personnel to Meet Industry Demand Reflecting IR 4.0

Priority Area / Sector

Human Resources Development

Implementing Agency

School of Industrial Training and Education (SITE), Yangon

Status

Ongoing

Objective(s)

To develop new skills of TVET personnel from Myanmar and Vietnam by providing intensive upskilling trainings

Key Achievements / Milestones

1. The project has been launched in April 2023. During the launching, the implementing agency has been collected several inputs for further improvement of the project implementation modalities such as to include other Mekong countries as the project beneficiaries.

2. The project is in collaboration with Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET) will implement several training programs such as Drone and AI technologies.

3. Completed recruitment of the project team members both for Myanmar and ROK.

Regionality

Myanmar, Viet Nam

Contact Person

Dr. Nay Zar Aung, email: [email protected]

[email protected]

Title of the project

Building a Portal of Ecosystems and Biodiversity Information for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development for the Mekong Delta (Ecobank Mekong)

Priority Area / Sector

Environment

Implementing Agency

Southern Institute of Ecology (SIE), Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST)

Status

Ongoing

Objective(s)

To support the Mekong Delta’s sustainable socio-economic development and biodiversity conservation planning through providing an open consensus database of natural ecosystems and associating biodiversity

Key Achievements / Milestones

The project has been launched on in April 2023 and implementation has been started in May 2023.

Expected Results:

1. Digital databases: including all information on ecosystems and associating biodiversity collected for the Mekong Delta. These include the most up-to-date data that best illustrate and help us understand the current status of the natural environment and can be used for sustainable planning and management of ecosystems and biological resources, including socio-economic development and conservation planning and monitoring impacts to/changes in ecosystems and biodiversity in the Mekong Delta and its wider basin.

2. WebGIS-based portal. This is a Website, namely Ecobank Mekong, integrated with the above collected biodiversity databases for wide sharing to those concerned, such as the public, international and national agencies, research and education institutions, individual scientists, etc. A report on the current status of ecosystems and biodiversity in the Mekong Delta will be published and made available on the Ecobank Mekong website.

Regionality

Viet Nam and Cambodia

Contact Person

Dr. LUU, Hong Truong, email: lhtruong@sie.vast.vn

Title of the project

Enhancing People-to-People Connectivity to Address Non-traditional Security Challenges in the Mekong Region

Priority Area / Sector

Non-traditional Security Challenges

Implementing Agency

Department of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior

Status

Ongoing

Objective(s)

To supplement the ongoing efforts and the capacities of the governments of Thailand, Lao PDR and Cambodia, to comprehensively and effectively address cross-border crimes, primarily human trafficking and drug trafficking in its border areas.

Key Achievements / Milestones

1. Prepared site survey in some borders include Nong Khai-Vientiane, Mukdahan-Savannakhet, and Sra-Kaew-Banteay Meanchey to learn and discuss about the situation and the context in the border areas with representatives from district offices and community leaders and Thai diplomatic delegations in Lao PDR and Cambodia as well as to arrange for training venues and accommodation for the group visit activities

2. Built Partnership and Consultation with Ministry of Interior of Thailand, Thai bureaucratic organizations such as the Royal Thai Police, The Royal, Thai Army, The Royal Thai Navy, The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, the Immigration Bureau, The Narcotics Control Board, etc. International organizations such as UNODC, IOM, OHCHR, UNOTOC as well as NGOs in Thailand, Cambodia, and Lao PDR.

3. Preparation of NTS-Mekong Watch website as main channel for public relations and publicization of awareness-raising contents as well as host an online reporting mechanism.

Regionality

Thailand, Lao PDR and Cambodia

Contact Person

Mr. Kittiphop Boontarawa, email: foreignaffairsdopa@gmail.com

Title of the project

ICT for Adaptation to Climate Change and Forest Fire Management in Mekong Region

Priority Area / Sector

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Implementing Agency

Asian Forest Cooperation Organization

Status

Ongoing

Objective(s)

To showcase an ICT-based forest fire management (FFM) system in Cambodia and Viet Nam, enhance in-country capability of government and stakeholders in using the ICT-based FFM system and develop rollout plan as well as enhance international cooperation on forest fire and related threats for the Mekong region.

Key Achievements / Milestones

1. The project has been launched in March 2023 with the project location in Cambodia and Vietnam.

2. The national project coordinator in Cambodia and Vietnam has been recruited.

3. Prepared consultation and collaboration meetings with government agencies in Cambodia and Vietnam

Regionality

Cambodia and Viet Nam

Contact Person

Dr. Park Junghwan, email: junghwanpark@afocosec.org

Title of the project

Capacity Building on Regional Project Design, Implementation, Monitoring & Evaluation of MKCF Projects

Priority Area / Sector

Human Resources Development

Implementing Agency

Mekong Institute

Status

Ongoing

Objective(s)

To enhance capacities of the eligible partners under the MKCF program by reinforcing regional cooperation and integration through designing and delivering collaborative projects across the seven priority sectors of the MKCF

Key Achievements / Milestones

1. Conducted project inception workshop to introduce the project to the relevant stakeholder.

2. Prepared the implementation of the training on “Regional Projects Identification” to develop capacity of the potential MKCF project proponents to identify, plan and develop regional development projects that address issues of the seven priority sectors in the Mekong-ROK cooperation.

Regionality

Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam

Contact Person

Ms. Hyeyoung Lee, email: hyeyoung@mekonginstitute.org

Mr. Robby Rosandi, email: robby@mekonginstitute.org

Title of the project

Rice Straw-Based Circular Economy for Improved Biodiversity and Sustainability (RiceEco)

Priority Area / Sector

Environment

Implementing Agency

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Viet Nam

Status

Ongoing

Objective(s)

To develop a sustainable circular economy (CE), including rice straw-based bio-fertilizer, bio-plastics, and an ICT tool for optimizing rice straw logistics, complemented with adjusted business models and targeted behavioral interventions for farmers and other value chain stakeholders.

Key Achievements / Milestones

1. The project has been launched in March 2023 along with the project inception workshop to introduce the project with the stakeholder.

2. Prepared experiments to understand the impacts on biodiversity from elimination or reduction of burning the straw, and assess the impacts of straw utilization as compost on soil quality and pest resistance in crops

3. Prepared life-cycle assessment to generate evidences on carbon footprint from rice straw-based circular economy

Regionality

Viet Nam and Cambodia

Contact Person

Dr. Nguyen Van Hung, Email: [email protected]