Hanoi, Viet Nam (May 14, 2025) – The inaugural Mekong–Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (MKCF) Forum marked a significant milestone in advancing regional development and partnerships, celebrating over a decade of fruitful collaboration between the five Mekong countries and the Republic of Korea (ROK). A standout participant at the forum was the Rice Straw-Based Circular Economy for Improved Biodiversity and Sustainability (RiceEco), a key initiative under the MKCF, which showcased its achievements and outcomes through a compelling presentation, earning recognition for its exhibition.

Established in 2013, the MKCF has played a crucial role in fostering regional cooperation across seven priority sectors, including Agriculture and Rural Development. The forum, hosted by the Mekong Institute (MI) and sponsored by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam and the ROK, gathered over 170 attendees, including government officials, development partners, private sector representatives, and Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs). The event highlighted achievements, shared lessons learned, and identified best practices from over 61 MKCF-supported projects while addressing emerging challenges and exploring future collaboration opportunities for sustainable regional development.

RiceEco, implemented by the International Rice Research Institute, aims to promote a rice straw-based circular economy to enhance biodiversity and sustainability. It was invited to represent MKCF Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) and delivered a crucial presentation during the sectoral breakout session on Agriculture and Rural Development. This presentation showcased RiceEco's accomplishments, shared valuable lessons, and emphasized MKCF's significant contributions to agricultural and rural development across the Mekong region. Additionally, RiceEco played a vital role in broader discussions on regional priorities and future directions within the Mekong–ROK cooperation framework.

The RiceEco booth also garnered recognition by winning the Second Prize among 29 exhibiting booths, reflecting the project’s impactful work, as indicated by the second-highest number of "like" stickers from impressed forum participants. Prominent attendees, including Mr. Lee Dong-gy, Director General for ASEAN and Southeast Asian Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, and Ms. Nguyen Bich Thuy, Deputy Director General of the Economic Diplomacy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, personally visited the RiceEco booth. Ms. Thuy expressed strong interest in RiceEco's achievements and products, particularly the innovative rice straw pots.

Moreover, RiceEco's accomplishments were prominently displayed on a large screen in the Plenary Conference Room and on a TV screen at the main MKCF booth throughout the event. Additionally, two "Stories of Change" from RiceEco were featured on pages 24–29 of the "Stories of Change: MKCF Projects" booklet, providing an in-depth look at its transformative work.