USAID Grants Support Lower Mekong Civil Society Organizations to Improve Forest Equity

This month, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Grassroots Equity and Enhanced Networks in the Mekong Program (USAID GREEN Mekong) released a second round of awards under its Challenge Fund to civil society organizations from the Lower Mekong region. The grants provide winners with the opportunity to advance the promotion of equitable and inclusive forest…

USAID Combats Climate Change Through Clean Water

USAID’s Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (USAID Mekong ARCC) project and partner International Union Conservation of Nature Thailand are supporting the Hae Ko village in northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai Province to reduce water-borne diseases and improve water security by installing a village-wide water filtration system.Nearly 300 Lisu hill tribe people have built resilience…

Fin Free Thailand Make Progress to Ban Sale and Consumption of Shark Fin in Thailand

A partner of the USAID-supported Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking program, Fin Free Thailand, has made progress towards their goal of reducing demand and ending the consumption of shark fin and shark products in Thailand.On February 7, Fin Free Thailand conducted a shark conservation awareness event on the resort island of Koh Chang.…

USAID Conducts Mangrove Carbon Assessment Training in Cambodia

From February 8 to 25, USAID’s Low Emissions Asian Development program and U.S. Forest Service are conducting a mangrove carbon assessment with a select group of trainees in Koh Kong and Sihanoukville Provinces, Cambodia.The training, which is part of ongoing efforts to help stakeholders in Cambodia implement a protocol for measuring and monitoring carbon stocks…

Cool Pig Pads Help Prepare Northern Thailand Communities for Climate Change Impacts

Farmers in northern Thailand’s Hae Ko village are implementing a new pig housing system as a climate smart adaptation measure against anticipated increases in temperature from climate change. In this hill tribe community, raising pigs is integral to their food security and income, but higher temperatures can impact the productivity and health of their local…

Crop Diversification Bolsters Climate Change Resilience for Chiang Rai Hill Tribes

To help Lower Mekong Basin farmers adapt to climate change, USAID Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (USAID Mekong ARCC) is partnering with International Union Conservation of Nature Thailand (IUCN Thailand) to identify and implement adaptation strategies in the under-resourced communities of Thailand.Community members in Hae Ko, in northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai province, are…

Art Competition Encourages Vietnamese Youth to Speak Out About Wildlife Trafficking

Under the USAID-supported Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking (USAID ARREST) Program, Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) received thousands of entries for its national artwork competition designed to reduce demand for illegal wildlife products. As of February 2, more than 3,900 entries have been submitted.ENV has worked closely with Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training,…

USAID Introduces Innovative Teaching Method for Climate Change Curriculum

Participants from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam gathered in Bangkok from February 2 to 6 to test a role play training activity focused on the Low Emission Land Use Planning module of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forest (USAID LEAF) climate change curriculum.Participants placed themselves in roles from communities…

Meeting of the Friends of the Lower Mekong

The Friends of the Lower Mekong, a donor coordination group, came together with the countries of the Lower Mekong to discuss the connection between water resources, energy needs and food security.U.S. State Department Counselor Thomas Shannon and Ambassador David Thorne were representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),…

Seventh Lower Mekong Initiative Regional Working Group Meeting in Bangkok

Water, energy and food security challenges, as well as women’s empowerment and the promotion of gender equality, are among major issues raised for discussion at the Seventh Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Regional Working Group Meeting.The meeting took place at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel in Bangkok on 29 – 30 January 2015, and it was…

Extraordinary Friends of the Lower Mekong: Conference on Mekong Sustainability Summary of Joint Discussion

Extraordinary Friends of the Lower Mekong Conference on Mekong SustainabilitySummary of Joint DiscussionOn February 2-3, 2015, the Friends of the Lower Mekong (FLM) – representatives of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, the United States, the Asian Development Bank, Australia, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Sweden, World…

FACT SHEET: Extraordinary Meeting of the Friends of the Lower Mekong

Office of the SpokespersonWashington, DCOn February 2, Counselor Tom Shannon and Senior Advisor to the Secretary Ambassador David Thorne led a U.S. delegation to the Extraordinary Meeting of the Friends of the Lower Mekong in Pakse, Laos. This is the first time the Friends of the Lower Mekong, a donor coordination group, have come together…