NSTDA and Rajamangala University of Technology Isan (RUTI) entered an agreement to develop and transfer agricultural technologies and innovations to improve job prospects and the quality of life for people in Thung Kula Ronghai. The plan is to establish a training hub to upskill farmers, state officials and entrepreneurs in Roi Et province to enable a transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. This project will then be expanded to the entire Thung Kula Ronghai region.

Thung Kula Ronghai is a vast region in northeastern Thailand, covering an area of 2.1 million rai or 336,000 ha. in 13 districts of five provinces, including Sisaket, Roi Et, Maha Sarakham, Yasothon and Surin.  The area is well-known for producing high quality jasmine rice. Since 2018, AGRITEC-NSTDA and RUTI have been working with 2,000 farmers in Roi Et introducing knowledge and technologies – ranging from rice seed production, farm management, post-rice crops, smart farming technology, and rice processing – to improve rice production efficiency. As a result, the rice productivity is improved to 450 kg/rai (2.8 tons/ha), whereas post rice crops and organic vegetable farming in greenhouse bring an additional THB 2,000 income per household annually.

This training hub model is expected to improve farming efficiency, generating an annual additional income of at least THB 38,000 per capita and improving the quality of life for villagers in Thung Kula Ronghai. A total of 7 training stations will be set up in the RUTI Roi Et Campus and farmers’ plantations, providing knowledge and demonstrating technologies such as rice production, farm irrigation, beef cattle production, post-rice crops and medicinal herbs production. Courses on science, technology and innovation will be made available so that farmers and entrepreneurs can learn and practice at the training stations.

STI for Thung Kula Ronghai is part of the Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG) Action Plan aimed at employing STI to improve the quality of life and income of people in five provinces, namely Sisaket, Roi Et, Maha Sarakham, Yasothon and Surin.