The National Science and Technology Development Agency lays out the agenda and reports the rapid progress and near-term prospects.
The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) says it is ready to support the government’s Bio-Circular Green (BCG) economy policy with its strong potential for science and innovative technology development that has played a significant role in enhancing business value and trade competency, according to NSTDA’s president Narong Sirilertworakul.
Speaking with the Bangkok Post, Mr Narong said that a concept of Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economy has been clearly based on science and technology knowledge to develop effective and affordable technology and innovation for creating products and services with less impact on the environment. For example, zero waste procedure is the ultimate goal for any recycling technology. The agency has accumulated experience and built up its networks that could be paired with BCG economic policy under its long-term plan to develop appropriate technology to serve the resources found in the country.
The government’s financial support is needed to strengthen science, technology and innovation (STI) development. This will help boost economic returns which can be greater than the invested amount. In addition, the STI budget must not be seen as expenditure. In fact, this is infrastructure building that can provide high revenue the same as for other basic facilities such as roads and internet.
“As one part of the government’s BCG team, we provide full support to achieve the goal. Right now, we see many positive factors to make it happen, especially the government’s strong support for a new hub of science and innovative technology in Rayong province and a global trend towards BCG being the right pathway to achieve sustainable development,” he said.
He also said that the government should take action to draw foreign investment in technology and innovation by relaxing regulations to facilitate investors and create an ecosystem of innovation, adding that it is not exaggerating because the country has great advantages in natural resources and biodiversity that are fundamental to extending business lines.
The government last year included BCG economy into the National Agenda in a bid to improve people’s life quality, reduce income gap and increase the country’s self-reliant capacity and role as world leader in sectors such as bio-refinery.
NSTDA has taken key roles to support the government’s BCG-based economy under a framework of supporting science and innovative technology research and development, providing technology transfer to entrepreneurs, developing basic infrastructure to support the job and enhancing human resources capacity.
To achieve the goals, NSTDA has established Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECi) in Rayong province that is going to officially open in November 2022. This is regarded as the country’s most advanced science and innovative technology hub to support the new economy. It aims to promote modern technology, bio-refinery, battery and modern transport, industry 4.0, aviation and medical devices.
Mr Narong said that BCG economy should not profit giant investors alone but local people should get benefits also. He raised the case of mangrove protection, pointing out that locals could use technology and innovation to protect and preserve their natural resources which could be a huge source of income from increasing numbers of marine animal populations and tourism activity in the fertile ecosystem.
“With a fertile environment and ecosystem, we could diversify into bio-business where an important raw material might be from the mangrove that locals can protect and preserve. Of course, benefit-sharing will involve locals under the would-be established biodiversity law. That could lead to sustainable development in the long run.”
Regarding the agricultural sector, he explained that food loss in the country amounts to 30% of production. But if there is investment in a cold chain system to prevent fresh vegetable and fruit loss during transportation, it will add 10% more productivity and farmers will benefit from the system.
He further added that the government could create “soft power” from food, which the country has strong capacity to achieve, especially street food that could boost tourism activity. He pointed out that NSTDA recently worked with the local street food community in Bangkok’s Chinatown on Yaowarat road to introduce a street food mobile with an easy-to-clean concept for people’s health and to protect the environment.
The national agenda on BCG economy projects increasing GDP to one trillion baht in BCG-related activities, or 21 to 24 percent of GDP. It hopes to see the proportion of high-value products and services increase by 20% with at least 50% more income going to the grassroots.
Regarding the issue of inequality, NSTDA plans to reduce the huge income gap disadvantaging 10 million people, including reducing food shortages and malnutrition to less than five percent, allowing more than 300,000 people access to expensive medical treatment, and increasing the number of communities with power self-reliance by 20%.
It also plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20-25%, compared with the 2005, including a plan to reduce imports of medical devices and health supplies by 20% and a plan to establish at least 1,000 Innovation Driven Entrepreneurs (IDEs) to support BCG economy.
For more information, please visit: www.nstda.or.th