New centres spur crop of ‘smart farmers’

Thailand is paving the way for an era of “smart farmers” who can exploit new technology to increase agricultural productivity in line with the plan to upgrade the nation’s economic model to Thailand 4.0 by introducing innovative training centres nationwide.

According to the government, these socalled farm product enhancement centres will be set up in all 882 districts throughout the country. The first wave was launched on a limited scale in 2014 in collaboration with related agencies.

The goal is to combine farm technology and research with innovative practices to set new, higher standards, government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said this week. He said the knowledge newly acquired at these centres is already helping to produce a crop of “smart farmers”.

In those districts which already have a centre, farmers are taught about new technology and ways to enhance their yields by mentors who have already done so.

Apart from new technological aids, their educational training also covers product processing, marketing and how to add more value to what they produce and sell, said Lt Gen Sansern.

“Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha believes the strength of the real economy has to do with promoting knowledge in technology and applying it in product development. That will help move Thailand away from the middle-income trap,” he said.

Thailand is now struggling with rising labour costs that are too high to compete with rival countries like Vietnam for basic assembly and manufacturing. Yet its technological capabilities are not yet on par with those of developed economies — hence the income trap.

Each centre works to improve and promote the flagship farm products of its locality by taking cues from the mentoring — or “prototype” — farms, who are already ahead of the curve in terms of their technology and practices.

Training curricula and model learning stations are also being put in place with the aid of the mentoring farmers, state agencies, educational institutions and the local community, the government spokesman said.