Breaking global news! Dr. Supatchaya Techachoochert, a leading figure in the environmental team at the Mae Fah Luang Foundation, has been selected as a Rockefeller Foundation Asia-Pacific Big Bets Fellow 2025.
She is also honored as one of 12 key changemakers driving transformative, courageous, and sustainable community development across the Asia-Pacific region.
The Mae Fah Luang Foundation Under Royal Patronage, established by Her Royal Highness Princess Srinagarindra (fondly known in Thailand as "Somdet Ya"), empowers communities to achieve self-reliance with dignity, especially those in remote highland areas. It champions balanced development between people and nature through projects like the Doi Tung Development Project, which has successfully restored watershed forests and provided sustainable livelihoods for hill tribes for over 30 years.
Dr. Ann’s impactful contributions include:
✅ Designing alternative agricultural practices for highland farmers, reducing forest encroachment and monocropping
✅ Creating diversified green livelihood models that promote balanced resource use
✅ Centering community empowerment as the core of development, in line with the Foundation’s philosophy
✅ Transforming negative incentives into positive motivation for conservation
Her achievements represent not just personal accolades but also global recognition of the Thai community development model. The Foundation highlights that Dr. Ann’s approach has effectively eased conflicts between conservation efforts and community survival in tangible ways.
For more information: Mae Fah Luang Foundation Under Royal Patronage
Link: https://www.maefahluang.org
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