Fishermen unload the day's catch at a port in Makassar, Indonesia. Photo credit: Asian Development Bank.

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) announced that nine out of 213 project proposals were selected during the fourth grant cycle of the BIMP-EAGA–Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (BKCF). Majority of the projects that were approved by the 5th BIMP-EAGA Republic of Korea Senior Officials Meeting on 11 July are in the agriculture and fisheries sector, which is a development priority of the subregion.

The subregion aspires to become a food basket in ASEAN and the rest of Asia. This entails integrating the agro-industry and fisheries sectors and developing supply and value chains throughout BIMP-EAGA. This strategy is expected to enhance food security, create sustainable livelihoods, and reduce poverty.

Based on the criteria set under the BKCF and recommendations of expert reviewers, the following projects were approved for grant funding:

• Development of Virtual Power System to Increase Energy Flexibility in the Philippines (Korea Institute of Energy Research, RES Consortium);
• From Floating Farm to Table: Enhancing Food Security and Climate Adaptation in Indigenous Communities of South Papua Province, Indonesia (World Vision Korea);
• Construction of AI-based Microgrid System in Bangkalan Island, Indonesia (Encored Technologies, Inc.);
• Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in Mindanao’s Marine Ecosystem: A Path Toward Mitigation Strategies and Policy Formulations of Sustainable Fisheries in the Philippines EAGA Region (Mindanao State University at Naawan);
• Preserving Soil Organic Carbon in Oil Palm Plantations with Oil Palm Waste Biochar (University of Lampung or UNILA, Indonesia);
• Securing Futures: Enhancing Community Resilience and Sustainability of Sungai Rambai, Melaka Through Implementation of Smart Crab Culture Systems (University of Putra Malaysia);
• Fisheries Capacity Advancement Project or FISH-CAP (Good Neighbors International Philippines, Inc.);
• Cultivating Harmony: Progressive Approaches to Soil Management for Sustainable Agriculture and Ecosystem Resilience or CHaPA (Universiti Brunei Darussalam); and
• Induced Systemic Technology Transfer to Intensify Papaya Industry in East Malaysia (Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute or MARDI).

The Korean government established the BKCF in 2021 to help promote inclusive and balanced growth in Southeast Asia and contribute to ASEAN Connectivity. Seoul-based GGGI serves as the depository and manager of BKCF.

Only programs or projects of BIMP-EAGA or its member countries are eligible for a maximum grant of $500,000. The fund supports Vision 2025 of BIMP-EAGA, particularly three development priorities of the subregion: agriculture and fisheries, connectivity, environment, and tourism. Project proposals may be submitted by government agencies, public sector institutes, academic and research institutes, NGOs, private sector entities, or any other autonomous institutes from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the Republic of Korea. Project duration is from 1 to 2 years.

The approval of nine projects this year brings the total number of projects that have received grant funding to 30. Many of the previous projects support the environmental sustainability goals of BIMP-EAGA, including clean energy transition and climate mitigation and adaptation. Projects approved this year are either in the agriculture and fisheries or environment sector or are classified under both sectors.

At the launch of the Korea–ASEAN Solidarity Initiative in 2022, the Republic of Korea announced that it expects to raise its contribution to BKCF to $6 million in 2027 as part of plans to increase ASEAN-related cooperation funds to $48 million per year by 2027. In 2022, the Korean government increased its contribution to the BKCF to $3 million from $1 million in 2021.

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