ข่าววิชาการ-วิจัย-สัมมนา

Project aims to strengthen skills of 134 farmers and entrepreneurs through six innovation-based activities.

Walailak University’s Center for Academic Services and the Agricultural Research Development Agency (Public Organization), known as ARDA, conducted a site visit on 29–30 October 2026 to review progress on a smart agriculture skills development project in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.

The project is led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Amonsak Sawusdee, Director of the Center for Academic Services. It provides reskilling and upskilling for 134 lead farmers and local agricultural entrepreneurs, using research and innovation to pursue economic, social and environmental benefits.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Warit Jawjit, Vice President for Administration and Sustainable Development, welcomed the ARDA delegation, which was led by Dr. Ciriklon Viwallvong, ARDA Deputy Executive Director. 

Asst. Prof. Jiraphat Nawarat, Deputy Director of the Center for Academic Services, working group members and faculty experts also took part.

The project covers six main activities:
1. Low-cost marine red tilapia farming: Use of improved fish strains and alternative feed formulas to reduce production costs and improve survival rates.
2. Smart mud crab farming: Sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) systems monitor water quality in real time to help develop meatier crabs from low-meat ones. The project reports that this can increase market value more than fourfold.
3. Smart dairy cattle feeding: Precision nutrition calculations to improve yield and raw milk quality.
4. Goat meat product development: Food processing techniques to add value and target premium markets.
5. Export-quality mangosteen production: Smart farm technology for water and weather management, with farm cost accounting under Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards to support export.
6. Trichoderma biological products: Transfer of international-standard biological product technology to control plant diseases, reduce chemical use and improve safety for producers and consumers.

 

The project is designed to support five United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: No Poverty (SDG 1), Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Quality Education (SDG 4), Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9) and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). It involves cooperation among the university, ARDA as the research funding agency, provincial government agencies, farmers and local communities.

The university plans to keep applying academic knowledge and technology to community development in the area, with the aim of creating self-reliant, sustainable smart agriculture communities.

Story by Kanyarat Ngamcharoen, Center for Academic Services, Walailak University
English version translated and edited by Settaboot Onphakdee, Division of Corporate Communications, Walailak University