news on December 01, 2018, 12:28:24 PM
TAITA helps farmers build new future of Thai agriculture
DR-SIANGHEEThailand Innovation Agricultural Associationunites with the state, private sectorsand media to upgrade farming practices and increase productivity by 30% through innovation to build a sustainable future for Thai agriculture
Thailand is the world’s second largest rice exporter and is wellknown as a leading agricultural country.
“Thai farmers play a vital role in producing food to feed this country and overseas,” Dr. Siang Hee Tan, director of Crop Life Asia, noted during the launch of the Thailand Innovation Agricultural Association. “Food produced here is exported and will generate income for the country of more than THB400 billion per year, especially by 2020, during which Southeast Asia will have a population of over 600 million. Croplife, a non-profit organization which has realized the upcoming problem of increasing food production to feedthe rising number of people, has selected Thailand as the model of modern agriculture ready to support and promote the country so it can produce food sustainability,” he added.
Dr. VoranicaNagavajara, executive director of the Thailand Innovation Agriculture Association (TAITA), said: “TAITA is an international non-profit organization on innovation and is one of Croplife International’s offices in the Southeast Asianregion with the objective to help farmers efficiently grow agricultural produce to feedthe world’s population. Agriculture methods should be suitable and environmentally friendly. The agency has been in operation in Thailand since April 2018, with its first project titled Protect Stingless Bees under the concept ‘Agriculture Conserves the World and buildsCommunity’, which is part of Croplife International’s project to conserve pollinating insects.This projectis taking place in fruit orchards in Chanthaburi andat lychee and longan farms in Chiang Mai – where the project is the country’s largest –while bee farmers in Phrae and Nan are also participating. It is has also commenced in India and the Philippines. In Thailand, more than 100 farmers are participating and have witnessed increased productivity by23%,”
Agricultural innovation encompasses scientific development for modern agriculture to help farmers “conserve the world” and observe correct agricultural procedures. This will reduce excessive use of soil and water to maintaina natural environmental balance. At the same time, farmers can sufficiently produce safe, quality food and cater to an increasing global population. The move will also generate decent income for the community while upgrading farmers’ quality of life to boost the country’s economy.
Thailandhas 138 million rai of agricultural land, but in several areas farmers face water shortage and have to contend with unsuitable soil for agriculture amidthe threat of insects and diseases. However, these obstacles can be overcome by agricultural innovation. Now, under a two-year short-term operation (2019-2020), TAITA will place emphasis on helping farmers become more knowledgeable to increase efficiency in production by at least 30 per cent by using fewer resources yet increasing productivity, and using less capital but developing better quality produce. The project aims to promote a new generation of farmers, especially beekeepers and those who can grow “economic” plants. This can be achieved by cooperation from various sectors such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Public Health Ministry, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Royal Project Foundation,in addition to various associations related to agricultural activities.
The association hasgained the trust of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agricultural Promotion to be among the agencies promoting academic knowledge and assisting personnel in various activities on training and disseminating knowledge to farmers.
“TAITA is moving towards a sustainable future for Thai agriculture with every concerned sector, and at the same time adopting new knowledge and innovation to support the international goal of‘creating food stability and safety’, including promoting Thailand’s agricultural and cooperative strategies of having ‘wealthy farms and prosperous and sustainable agricultural resources’,Dr. Voranica concluded.
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