Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Visits and Observes the Operation of Chaipattana Foundation’s Research and Development Project on Highland Agriculture in Fang District, Chiang Mai P ...

On 26 April 2018, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited ad saw the progress of Chaipattana Foundation’s Research and Development Project on Highland Agriculture in Pong Nam Ron Sub-district, Fang District, Chiang Mai Province. HRH proceeded to the Research and Development Project on Agriculture that the Chaipattana Foundation had initiated to be a study center about comprehensive organic plant production. Those who are interested can visit this center and learn how to use agricultural waste within the project area for plant production. This method helps reduce the cost of production while making the best use of natural resources, which is based on the concept of sustainable preservation on natural resources and environment. In addition, the center provides the knowledge about the production of microbial pesticide, instead of chemical substances, to prevent pests and diseases in plants. Different factors of production herein will be used to produce several kinds of plants under the organic plant production of the project, i.e. rice, field crops after rice harvest, vegetables, mushrooms, fruit trees, and herbs. In 2017, the project was certified by Organic Thailand under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Thereby the certification is issued for the source of organic plant production, 80 kinds of plants, and for packing from Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The center also received certification on CODEX GMP food production standards for herbal tea and vegetable packing from Global GROUP.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn granted the brand “Sap-Pan” for distribution of processed products and agricultural products in the project certified by Organic Thailand, including the products with GAP certification of agriculturalists who joined the project. With this sign, the consumers shall have confidence and realize the safety of products. Meanwhile, it will be an inspiration for the agriculturalists to develop the quality of agricultural products.  

“Sap-Pan” is pronounced like the English name of Fang tree, Sappan.  The name “Sap-Pan” in Thai means the sharing of properties in the land and the rivers, by means of project implementation, among the local people who live in and away from the project areas. The sharing will enhance the life quality and living conditions of the said people in a sustainable manner. On this occasion, HRH observed the operation of the project “Sap-Pan” products. In this project, the agricultural products from different projects and from agriculturalists in the network are put for sale in various channels, both in and out of Fang District, bringing more income to the project itself and to the agriculturalists in the network of this project. At present, the agricultural products under the brand “Sap-Pan” are available at Fang Hospital, Tops Market, and many branches of Rimping Supermarket in Chiang Mai Province.  The Chaipattana Foundation and Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) applied Geo-information technology in the project management, using an online map to follow up the progress and outcome of this project by means of Area Based System. This process is very helpful for planning and decision making. Besides, the technology can be used to transfer knowledge and success to other projects of the Chaipattana Foundation.     

After that, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn went to the rice mill to listen to the summary report about the collaboration network from agriculturalists who produce GAP rice in the project in Fang District, Mae Ai District, and Chai Prakan District. The project had set up several trainings to provide the agriculturalists with knowledge and also applied for GAP certificate. In addition, the project had a plan to establish a community rice mill which would be operated by the members of this rice mill within the project. This is very beneficial for the agriculturalists who do not want to rely or base their price on general rice mills. The milling objectives of the said community rice mill are for consumption, for distribution by the agriculturalists, and for distribution under the brand “Sap-Pan”. Also, the project proposed Phitsanulok 80 rice for the farmers to try growing during the upcoming farming season. Phitsanulok 80 rice has low amylose but high quality and delicious when cooked. Besides, the glycemic index of Phitsanulok 80 rice is at intermediate or low level, which is suitable for the consumers with diabetes or those who are health conscious and want to reduce the sugar in their diet. The rice products will be the real Q rice with high quality thanks to the careful selection of rice seed varieties which are good for health, the cultivation in the rice fields that are certified with GAP, and the milling in rice mills with GMP standards. Phitsanulok 80 rice will be available for sale at the beginning of the year 2018. Then, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn observed the operation of Ban Piang Kok grass broom community enterprise. Some plot of land within the project is allocated for growing bamboo grass which is the main material, accounting for 60%, for making grass brooms. Earlier, the community enterprise had to buy the grass from middlemen; so this activity can help the community reduce their dependence on external production factors and reduce the costs of production, too. Above all, the local people joining this activity will feel that they are proud to have proprietorship in the project that has been established for the benefits of general people.