Minister Suksomruay is pushing the National Village Fund Office to collaborate with the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA) to enhance knowledge for Thai farmers in all four regions, transforming local specialties into sustainable income.
On 24 September 2026, the National Village and Urban Community Fund Office (VFO), overseen by Minister Suksomruay Wantaneeyakul, Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, and the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA), signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on "Promoting the development of technology and innovation in production processes and their commercial application in agricultural product processing."
This collaboration has three main objectives: to systematically develop village fund members’ capabilities in agricultural technology and processing; to create supplementary or primary income to reduce dependence on external income and migration; and to strengthen the grassroots economy for sustainable improvement of community quality of life.
The Research and Knowledge Development Division (RKD) of the VFO is chiefly responsible for coordinating with VFO branches nationwide, while ARDA provides expert instructors and academic knowledge through its regional offices.
The main project under this partnership is “Professional Agricultural Skills Development in Four Regions,” consisting of eight sessions from February to May 2026. It covers key local crops and livestock in each region, with each session featuring academic lectures and case study reviews in the morning, followed by practical workshops on product processing in the afternoon.
The curriculum includes comprehensive training on "Complete Kaffir Lime" and "Durian" in Chanthaburi Province, teaching everything from propagation techniques by local wisdom holders to soil and water management under changing weather, plus workshops on making jam, gummy jelly, and lava durian pastries. Next are courses on "Soybean" and "Rice" in Sukhothai Province, where the soybean course received a high satisfaction score of 4.06 out of 5. The rice course covered GAP standards and workshops for making rice milk soap and Thai rice sushi.
Similarly, in Loei Province, a "Coffee" course cooperates with local private sector partners, teaching the "four-layer forest" concept to transform barren mountains into income sources. In Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, the "Complete Mangosteen" course includes workshops for making mangosteen wine, tie-dye fabric from mangosteen peel, and mangosteen ice cream. The program concludes with a "Coastal Aquaculture" course teaching blue crab and shellfish farming alongside chili paste processing. All participants receive certificates.
This collaboration goes beyond training by including follow-up evaluations in Chanthaburi Province, covering 20 village funds, to assess whether members have applied the knowledge to build real careers. This reflects a commitment to measurable outcomes rather than mere completion of planned training.
Undeniably, this partnership reinforces a working model that integrates academic knowledge with local wisdom, enabling Thai farmers to upgrade basic production into high-value products, reduce reliance on outside income, and concretely strengthen the grassroots economy.
Those interested in following the results and products from the VFO and ARDA collaboration and partner networks can visit the VFO booth K3 at FARM EXPO 2026, held from 24 to 27 September 2026 at Halls 5-8, IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, Muang Thong Thani.