Institute to underpin Smart Farmer push

High value-added products have not only gained interest among manufacturers as a way to generate more revenue, but also farmers keen on a higher income.

The Institute for Agro-Based Industries under the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is working with the government to build a new generation of farmers who can combine modern technologies with marketing plans to better sell their products, which in turn helps to drive the Thai economy.

“The institute has collaborated with many state and private agencies to help Thai farmers develop their skills to become smart farmers,” said FTI vice-chairman Sakchai Unchittikul, chairman of the institute, referring to the government’s Smart Farmer initiative.

The institute became an FTI unit in 2018, aiming to improve Thai agriculture through R&D development and create opportunities to earn more revenue in the upstream,…