On 23 November 2022, Dr. Danuch Tanterdtid, Secretary of the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation; Ms. Sunee Lertpienthum, Inspector-General and Ms. Tipawan Wetchagarun, Director of Science Park Group, the Science, Research and Innovation Promotion and Utilization Division; and Dr. Chalida Thaninkullaporn, Director of MFU Science Park visited the local entrepreneurs that have been received support from MFU Science Park: the Ozone Farm and Akha Jungle Coffee Ltd. in Mae Chan district and Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai province.
Mr. Pichet Kantawong, Managing Director of Ozone Farm offered a tour for the delegation to look around the eight-rai farm consisting of 18 greenhouses. Melons and tomatoes are grown in the greenhouses using smart farming system. Moreover, there is a restaurant providing food that was made from organic ingredients directly sourced from the farm. Mr. Kantawong stated that the farm has received support from MFU Science Park through the utilization of science, technologies and innovations to help the Ozone Farm grow the sweet melons, make freeze-dried melon products, use a precision plant feeding system in greenhouse and a fertilizer system via mobile phone to increase the quantity and quality of products while reducing the costs. Most importantly, he added that now there are over 120 young smart farmers in Chiang Rai province which is the highest number of young smart farmers in Thailand.
Furthermore, Mr. Tanapol Chermer, an entrepreneur, stated that MFU Science Park has transferred knowledge and technologies to help Akha Jungle Coffee develop and produce high-quality coffees that taste good and have sweet fragrance. It will be a coffee for new generation that make the Akra’s way of life well-known globally. Mr. Chermer added that the Akra coffee farming has not caused deforestation and the coffee has unique flavour because it has turmeric as extra ingredient which treat digestive issues.
Dr. Danuch Tanterdtid said that now young people focus more on the precision agriculture or becoming young smart famer because the use of scientific knowledge, advanced technologies and innovations in farming especially for the control of soil, water and fertilizer is more relevant than ever. As farmers can control agricultural processes with science and technologies, therefore Dr. Danuch Tanterdtid encouraged entrepreneurs, who are interested in smart farming or want to improve their own products, to contact the regional science parks in order to manage their farm in a more precise and accurate manner, to add value to their products and make agriculture more profitable for the farmer.
