Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber’s Post

Hi everyone! This is Wan Ling Lim, and I’m back to share reflections (Part 2/2) from my very first field visit to Chiang Rai, Thailand. Over the past few months, I’ve learned about the various capacity-building and sustainability projects that GPSNR oversees. However, when we work behind a desk, it can be easy to reduce the programmes and the people down to statistics and spreadsheets. This past week, being on the ground in Chiang Rai brought to life the hard work, commitment, and human stories behind every project milestone. I met smallholders with diverse backgrounds, including some with engineering degrees to some who teach kindergarten on the side. All of them carry rich experiences and perspectives. One smallholder, driven by a desire for fairer prices, even started his own dealing station to benefit his community. It’s a powerful example of the entrepreneurial spirit that exists at the very start of our supply chain. These conversations, where smallholders shared stories about their families and their aspirations, reminded me of a crucial truth: Sustainability work is, at its core, people work. It is easy to reduce everything to a statistic, but interacting with the project team and the smallholders who are directly impacted truly shows the changes being made from the ground up. It reminds me of the many dedicated people who put in hard work and effort to make these projects possible. I’m grateful for the opportunity to witness this firsthand, and I’m even more motivated to support the work that uplifts the communities at the heart of the natural rubber supply chain. Here’s to many more meaningful field visits ahead! #GPSNR #FieldVisit #HumanStories #Smallholders #SustainabilityIsPeopleWork #SupplyChain