NL Alumni in Thailand Share Dutch Expertise at Fruit Innovation Fair 2024 in Chanthaburi
Chanthaburi Province is one of the key tropical fruit production areas of Thailand. The recent “Fruit Innovation Fair 2024” or FiF 2024, organized by the Chanthaburi Provincial Chamber of Commerce together with the Netherlands Embassy, jointly held “The Netherlands – Chanthaburi Special Session; The World of Horticulture Innovation & Lessons Learned from the Netherlands.” The Special Session welcomed two Netherlands Alumni and the Dutch Agricultural Counsellor to share their expertise and underline the necessity of collaboration among tropical fruit stakeholders to ensure that fruits are produced innovatively and sustainably.
Located about 245 km from Bangkok, Chanthaburi Province is famous for its diversity of tropical fruits. Durian, rambutan, mangosteen, zalacca, longkong, egg banana, and longan are the key economic tropical fruits of Thailand from Chanthaburi. At the Netherlands – Chanthaburi Special Session at the Fruit Innovation Fair 2024, Dr. Papaporn Chunhachatrachai (Strategic Transformation Office, Thailand) and Dr. Montarop Sudhadham (Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University), the two Netherlands Alumni, were invited by the Netherlands Embassy to share their expertise on Thai – Dutch cooperation in agriculture and food innovation. The Dutch Agricultural Counsellor, Mr. Gijs Theunissen DVM, was also one of the speakers at the session.
Innovation in agriculture is not only to increase productivity but also to balance food demand by humans and nature inclusively in the agri-food system, which becomes more challenging. Chanthaburi Province and the Eastern Region of Thailand are famous for their diversity of tropical fruits. The first Netherlands – Chanthaburi Special Session during the Fruit Innovation Fair (FiF) 2024 offers a platform for the two kingdoms to share their expertise for an innovative and sustainable tropical agriculture (fruits) value chain.
- Ukrit Wongthongsalee, President of Chanthaburi Provincial Chamber of Commerce)
Thailand is located on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia, a land of diverse biological resources, resulting in an outstanding abundance of food resources, a strength for agricultural production. Thai agricultural products are well-known internationally. Global climate change is putting pressure on the agri-food system. The threat of extinction of plant life is starting to appear all over the world. Turning our attention to sustainable agriculture will help us overcome this crisis and maintain food security for future generations.
- Dr. Montarop Sudhadham, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University
Most Thai farmers are well aware of the necessity of implementing innovation and technology in their agricultural activities. The natural resources management for sustainable agriculture is high on the agenda of farmers in general. Farmers need to understand the integration of innovation and local wisdom for agriculture under their circumstances. The collaboration between the government and business for knowledge sharing is crucial to support the community ecosystem for more sustainability.
You are invited ! “Thai – Dutch Session in Horti Asia 2024” this May 22nd, 2024
You are invited to join “Thai – Dutch Session in Horti Asia 2024” this May 22nd, 2024 (14:00 – 16:00 hr.) at BITEC, Bangkok where Chanthaburi Provincial Chamber of Commerce is the co-organizer and panelist.
Register now (FREE): vnu-conference-booking.eventpass.co/l/124