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On 26 July 2026, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Siwaret Arikit, Director of the Rice Science Center, Kasetsart University, manager of Thailand's knowledge hub for rice science and research (Hub of Rice) and head of the project “Regenerative Burn-Free Rice for Clean Air and High-Value Markets (Clean Air Rice)”, together with Mr. Suman Hoimala, agricultural officer of the Rice Science Center, and the project's researchers, namely Asst. Prof. Dr. Chatchamas Kanchanaudomkarn, Head of the Tropical Vegetable Research and Development Center, Kasetsart University, and Prof. Dr. Anurak Sanpapao of Prince of Songkla University, took part and set up an exhibition at the monitoring of the project to solve the PM2.5 dust problem in northern Thailand with sustainable area-based integrated innovation, and the ceremony presenting the “Carbon Agriculture Community Center” sign, organized by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, together with King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Mae Fah Luang University and Kasetsart University, at Ban San Sai Noi Hall, Ban Dai Subdistrict, Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province.
At the event, Dr. Wiparat De-ong, Director of the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), presided over the opening and visited the research exhibitions of the university and community networks under the project to solve the PM2.5 dust problem in northern Thailand. NRCT, as the country's research funding agency, gives importance to supporting research and innovation that can concretely use knowledge to solve national problems, through integrating cooperation among researchers, government agencies, the private sector and communities, to raise people's quality of life together with creating jobs and income and making worthwhile use of biomass resources, leading to sustainable development.
The event aims to monitor the results of solving the PM2.5 dust problem through integrating knowledge, research and area-based innovation, and to promote efficient management of agricultural residues to reduce open burning, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and concretely raise environmental quality, while pushing for the establishment of the “Carbon Agriculture Community Center” as a learning hub and model for managing agricultural residues that can be sustainably expanded at the community level.
At the event, the Rice Science Center, Kasetsart University, presented results and exhibited the Clean Air Rice project, conveying the concept of rice production under a regenerative agriculture system that aims to reduce burning of stubble and agricultural residues, while promoting use of rice straw and biomass in various forms to increase soil organic matter, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and raise environmental quality together with stable income for farmers, linking work with farmer networks, government agencies, the private sector and several educational institutions to push research results into real use in the area.
The exhibition also presented a model for developing the rice value chain, from quality seed production, promoting standard cultivation, collecting produce from farmer networks, and traceability, to linking produce to the high-value rice market, under the concept “Grow Rice Without Burning, for Clean Air and a Better Quality of Life”, which drew great interest from NRCT executives, government agencies, researchers, the private sector and farmers attending, as an approach that can reduce environmental impact, add value to produce, and bring fairness to producer farmers.
Knowledge was also exchanged with model farmer networks, namely the Kiew Tawan community enterprise led by Mr. Thanyapong Jaikham, the Tungtom Sufficiency community enterprise group (Tungtom Organic) led by Ms. Pitchayapha Narongchai, and the integrated mushroom producers group led by Mrs. Nupit Worawong, who shared experience in group management, developing production systems, and building high-value agricultural products from biomass and agricultural residues, reflecting the success of using innovation to earn income together with reducing burning in agricultural areas.
On this occasion, Mrs. Rungrattana Chamsing, Senior Professional Level Agricultural Officer, Mr. Thanet Srisuk, Senior Professional Level Agricultural Officer, and Ms. Wareeporn Prakcharoen, Senior Professional Level Agricultural Officer, from the Kamphaeng Saen Extension and Training Office, Kasetsart University, shared knowledge and innovation on mushroom production and processing with farmers through demonstrations and experience exchange, to promote building careers, adding value to produce, and making the most efficient use of agricultural residues, especially using agricultural residues as mushroom-growing material, another way to reduce burning in agricultural areas, in line with the circular economy concept and environmentally friendly agricultural development.
This participation reflects the role of the Rice Science Center, Kasetsart University, in integrating knowledge in science, technology and innovation with the work of farmer networks and partner agencies to concretely drive solving the PM2.5 dust problem from the agricultural sector, while pushing research into real use in the area, leading to raising farmers' quality of life, increasing the competitiveness of Thai agricultural products, and balancing economy, society and environment according to sustainable development, with the Clean Air Rice project as an important model of using science, research and innovation to develop an environmentally friendly rice production system that answers the country's long-term development needs.
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Source: Facebook Rice Science Center
