Member Article

Thailand And GODAN Train More Than 100 Civil Servants On Benefits Of Open Data

The Global Open Data for Agriculture & Nutrition (GODAN) initiative, launched in 2013 and led by the UK and US governments to propagate for open data in agriculture and nutrition to scientifically combat world hunger and food security, has participated in an extensive new open data training programme for Thailand’s Civil Service.

The open data training day for Thailand’s civil servants was the culmination of a three-month programme, which saw five teams work on preparatory work. Experts in facilitating open data initiatives, GODAN was asked to participate in the training of more than 100 senior civil servants. The day saw the civil servants educated on the various benefits of open data policy as well as good practice and how to harness its potential, in addition to the roadmap in agriculture.

The event aimed to establish concrete steps towards greater use of open data in agriculture, with the ultimate goal being to create a roadmap that is ready for implementation before the end of the year. Thailand is not the only country with open data ambitions, with other Asian countries such as Vietnam also interested in similar initiatives.

Thailand is currently undergoing a period of strong economic growth, led largely by its tourism and exports. The country’s economic growth is forecast to grow to 4.1%, the biggest rise since 2012. As a result of this growth, Thailand’s government has begun to embrace the digital revolution, with initiatives ranging from a national e-payment system to increased automation. As the country moves swiftly towards a digital economy, Thailand’s agricultural sector is at the centre of the government’s plans.

Speaking about Thailand’s open data training day, André Laperrière, CEO of GODAN said “Working with Thailand’s Civil Service on this Open Data training day has been a privilege. We are pleased to see more countries and governments around the world realising the potential uses of open data for agriculture, as demonstrated by Thailand, which has taken the initiative with its innovative training day. I hope that more countries will follow suit and highlight the usefulness of open data in not only helping a nation become more economically empowered but to solve the agriculture, nutrition and hunger related issues that face the world.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Daniel O'Donnell .