Committee on Science and Technology
The activities of the Committee on Science
and Technology (COST) in the year under review
can be summarized as follows:
ASEAN Plan of Action on Science and Technology
The ASEAN Plan of Action on Science and
Technology consists of five programme areas,
namely : Food and Agriculture Development
Research, Energy and Natural Resources Development
Research, Manufacturing Industries, Transportation
and Communication Development
Research, Health and Social Development
Research, and Science and Technology
Infrastructure Development. The Eighth Meeting
of COST in February 1983 added the Environment
as the sixth programme area.
ASEAN Trust Fund
An ASEAN Trust Fund on Science and Technology
was established to finance the implementation
of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science and
Technology Contributions to the Fund could
come from Third Countries/International
Organizations, The ASEAN Secretariat would have
custody of funds and help administer the Fund
jointly with a Joint Management Committee.
I. ON -GOING PROJECT
ASEAN Protein Project
The ASEAN Protein Project has been administered
and implemented by the ASEAN Sub-Committee
on Protein, coordinated by Thailand
and supported financially by the government of
Australia through the ASEAN-Australia Economic
Cooperation Programmes (AAECP). The project
was divided into phase 1 (1974-1978 ) with a
budget allocation of A$ 2.5 million and Phase 2
(1978 - 1980 ) with a budget of A$ 3 million. The
project has been extended for another three years
1981 - 1984 ) with a budget of A$ 1.8 million.
Through the past seven years, the promotion
of research and development programmes among
member countries has developed into a working
mechanism. A number of acceptable protein-rich
food formulations, such as baby food, noodle products,
textured vegetable protein, fermented products,
soy beverages and snacks, have been
developed and standardized in the laboratories and
pilot plants. Their market potential has been
earmarked. However, lack of marketing research
studies determining the products commercial
viability is the main reason why - despite
enthusiastic responses during lectures/demonstrations,
symposia and dialogues with industry
only a few actual industrial takeovers have been
recorded.
The Sub-Committee plans to expand its
present capabilities, wherein work programmes
would include pilot plant development and market
studies on the products presently developed.
After completion of the second extension, i.e.
1984, COST has agreed that the Sub-Committee on
Protein Project continue to undertake the
following responsibility, with Australia providing
additional support :
- Completion of any research work unfinished
beyond the scheduled date
- preparation of meetings and workshops;
- application of research and development
results;
planning and monitoring of projects initiated
under the programme.
Management and Utilization of Food-Waste
Materials
The project on Management and Utilization
of Food-Waste Materials was initiated by the
Sub-Committee on Protein and implemented from
January 1, 1980. The objectives of the project are
to adapt, develop and apply appropriate technologies
to convert food-waste materials into useful
products and utilize food-waste so as to eliminate
sources of pollution, specifically water pollution.
Australia has agreed to finance another five-year
extension of the project after completion of its
first phase ( 1981/1983).
A proposal for the publication of a Newsletter
and an ASEAN Scientific Journal in cooperation
with other food related Sub-Committees and
Working Groups was approved by the Eighth COST
meeting in February 1983.
Food Technology Research and Development
Project
The project is managed by the Working Group
on Food Technology, reporting directly to COST.
Implementation of the project started 1 July 1982,
for a duration of three years.
The objectives of the project are to increase
utilization of local food raw materials through
improved processing, packaging and distribution,
to develop food processing activities that will help
promote gainful employment, and to adapt,
develop and apply appropriate technology for the
development of food processing industries in the
ASEAN region.
Member countries are now in the process of
formalizing a memorandum of understanding with
Australia for this project.
ASEAN Climatic Atlas and Compendium of
Climatic Statistics/Map of ASEAN
This project implemented in 1978 and
financed by member countries, with technical
assistance from UNDP/WMO, was completed in
April 1982.
A two-volume set containing the ASEAN
Climatic Atlas and Compendium of Climatic
Statistics and the Map of ASEAN was published
and presented to the Fifteenth Ministerial Meeting
in Singapore.
It is expected that copies of the publication
will be distributed to member countries with
complimentary copies issued to UNDP/WMO and
copies for sale through ASEAN Secretariat.
ASEAN Project on the Environment
The project covers cooperation on Environmental
Protection, Environmental Management
and Pollution Control among member countries.
The programme areas encompass development of
minimum environmental quality standards and the
use of standard quality procedures and analytical
methods for environmental quality parameters in
air and water quality monitoring.
The latest activities under this project include
the publication of "ASEAN Heritage and
Reserves "add "Action Plan on Environmental
Education and Training" and the preparation of
the second phase of the ASEAN Environment Programme,
ASEP - II.
Non-Conventional Energy Research
The following programme areas were adopted
by COST to serve as the master plan on non-
conventional energy research for regional and third
country cooperation.
Area Focal Point
(a) Solar Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Singapore
(b) Solar Electric System Thailand
1) Solar Thermal Electric Power
2) Solar Photovoltaic Electric Power System
(c) Solar Drying Malaysia
(d) Solar Pumping Malaysia
(e) Bio-Energy Conversion
1) Biogas production & Utilization Malaysia
2) Alcohol production Philippines
3) Energy Farming Philippines
4) Pyrolysis Philippines
(f) Coal Technology Indonesia
(g) Wind Energy Thailand
(h) Geothermal Energy Philippines
(i) Energy Inventory & Assessment Indonesia
(j) Micro-hydro Energy Indonesia
The scope of these projects are:
(a) development, construction and testing of
technically feasible and cost-effective
prototype systems and plants for local
applications;
(b) identification of specific areas for further
collaborative research and development;
(c) dissemination of results of non-conventional
energy research in individual ASEAN
countries and the pooling of available
expertise.
Some of these projects are being implemented.
ASEAN - Australia Energy cooperation
The Working Group Meeting on Non-
Conventional Energy Research in August 1982,
identified the following areas for ASEAN-Australia
Cooperation : Biomass for Heat and
Power; Energy Conservation Technologies; and
Coal Technologies. During the Seventh ASEAN-
Australia Forum in October 1982, Australia
committed an initial allocation of A$ 3.2 million
for the Energy Programme.
ASEAN - EEC Cooperation in Energy
ASEAN-EEC cooperation in energy covers a
two-year cooperation programme (1981 - 1983).
During the first year of implementation EEC has
allocated funds for the following : a fellowship in
the field of energy for 14 delegates from ASEAN
member countries, provision of expert technical
assistance in energy R & D for Indonesia, the
Philippines and Thailand.
Included in the second year of implementation
are : the financing of a Cooperative Study of
Environmental Impact of various methods of
Electrical Generation, e.g. Hydroelectric, Coal,
Nuclear, Oil-fired,-Dendrothermal, etc. to be held
in Thailand, and the funding of a Seminar of
National Energy Planning Management, held at
Ispra, Italy, in May, 1982.
ASEAN - New Zealand Cooperation in Energy
A fact finding mission was sent by New
Zealand in December 1982, to ASEAN member
countries. The mission identified that the three
areas in enery research are namely : bio-energy
conversion, energy-inventory and assessment and
Micro-Hydro Energy. At the 8th COST Meeting in
Singapore, the Meeting decided to submit its
proposals and project documents on geothermal
energy and wind energy to New Zealand for
possible funding.
II. NEW COST PROJECTS
ASEAN Programme on Marine Sciences
The proposal on marine sciences were
integrated under two main components : ASEAN
Cooperative Programme on Tides and Tidal
Phenomenon and ASEAN Cooperative Studies on
Oceanography Related to the Management of
Living Resources. The final project documents
under these two components will serve as the basis
for consideration within ASEAN - Japan, ASEAN-US,
and other third country cooperation. Canada
agreed to provide the sum of C$ 0.5 million as seed
money for ( a) resource development and
management, (b ) pollution monitoring studies.
ASEAN Cooperation in the Field of Corrosion
The objective of the project is to improve the
capability of ASEAN countries in combating
corrosion problems. The scope of the project
covers information exchange programmes, experts
exchange programme and technical assistance,
seminars, workshops, and joint research in specific
subjects. The areas of cooperation are marine
corrosion., atmospheric corrosion, underground
corrosion, coating materials and management of
corrosion prevention and protection. The project
document on marine corrosion has been
formulated.
ASEAN Cooperation in Materials Processing
A project on Materials Processing was adopted
by the 8th Meeting of COST with the objective to
strengthen the national capability of member
countries in the field of material science and
technology.
ASEAN - EEC Prograrnme of Cooperation in the
Field of Science and Technology
ASEAN and EC agreed to a two-year programme
of scientific and technological cooperation
with a cost of 2.8 million ECU. The components of
the programme are : provision of fellowships to
ASEAN scientists, engineers and technical experts
for training in the European Community; provision
of experts from the European Community;
organization of seminars; and assistance in the
execution of studies.
ASEAN - UNDP Cooperation
UNDP has provided a budget for the project
on "Technology Transfer in Organic Industrial
Pollution Monitoring." The project document was
signed by ASEAN - Thailand on behalf of ASEAN
30 December 1982. With regard to the project
" Upgrading of National Patent Systems," the
Eighth COST Meeting, agreed to support a study
tour for one official from each ASEAN country to
national and international patent information
centres in North America and Western Europe.
For more information, please refer to project details
