Bangkok Bank organizes "Modern Agriculture Fair 2024" and present three awards to honor three outstanding Thai farmers

Bangkok Bank is organizing Modern Agriculture Fair 2024 to showcase a selection of export-quality Thai agricultural products from 55 stores, including innovative, healthy and local community agricultural products for shoppers to buy as gifts for their loved ones during the New Year festival. The Bank also offers Modern Agriculture 2023 awards to honor three outstanding Thai farmers in the categories of "outstanding technology adoption", "outstanding agricultural supply chain management" and "outstanding young farmer". The Bank is also organizing a seminar to exchange knowledge with experts and announce its target of being a "trusted partner" in supporting Thai farmers. This initiative aims to help farmers adopt "smart farming" practices by leveraging technology and innovation to help them sustainably and robustly thrive in the digital world. Don't miss it! The event will take place on December 20, starting at 8:30 a.m. at Bangkok Bank's head office on Silom Road.

Bangkok Bank Executive Director Dr. Pichet Durongkaveroj said that theme of the 2024 Modern Agriculture Fair is organized under the concept of "80 Years of Bangkok Bank - a trusted partner and close friend of Thai farmers". The Bank has been supporting Thai farmers for a long time. This year, there are farmers with quality products, including innovative agricultural products, community products, and health-related agricultural products, to sell at special prices in front of Bangkok Bank's head office on Silom Road. This year, 55 stores will join the event offering products such as low-carbon coffee, processed macadamia, fresh and processed strawberries, organic eggs, orchids and ornamental plants, export-grade fruits, grilled Northern Thai sausage, and ready-to-eat insect protein powder. This is also a good opportunity for Thai farmers to expand their marketing network to introduce high-quality agricultural products to consumers, as well as to meet other farmers in the same industry, including upstream, midstream, and downstream groups. Which can further develop their businesses and increase their strength and sustainability in the long term. Around 1,000-2,000 visitors are expected, with spending of more than 3-4 million baht at the event.

"Throughout the past 80 years, the Bank has been committed to continuously supporting Thailand's agricultural sector. Bangkok Bank was the first bank in Thailand to initiate agricultural loans in 1962. The Bank also launched the Modern Agriculture project in 1999 and has held this event for 17 consecutive years to promote knowledge in production, technological innovation, and support the transition to the digital age and the age of adaptation to climate change. The Bank will collaborate with partner agencies from both the public and private sectors to jointly advance the agricultural sector into a new era of technology and environmental sustainability." Mr. Pichet said

Mr. Pichet said that the agricultural sector is now in the third era, the era of innovation which heavily relies on scientific and technological processes. Bangkok Bank has therefore been providing knowledge about technology, innovation, and new environmental challenges to continuously strengthen the agricultural sector. This effort aims to support Thai farmers to adopt smart farming and precision farming while helping them to create zero-waste and be more environmentally conscious. The Bank focuses on identifying successful farmers who have adapted to using technology and innovation to inspire other farmers to effectively apply this knowledge to their own businesses.

Bangkok Bank also organized the Modern Agriculture 2024 award ceremony to honor Thai farmers and encourage them to adapt and develop their farming practices by using technology to improve production quality. The awards are in three categories as follows:

• Outstanding digital technology adoption is awarded to Mr. Tanachote Sririnchai, Managing Director of T.P. Farm from Prakhon Chai district, Burirum. Mr. Tanachote owns a broiler chicken farm which adopts innovation and technology to enhance the business towards smart farming. He began by studying new technologies from local and international experts and applied the knowledge to create his very own software.
• Outstanding agricultural supply chain management is awarded to Ms. Naruemon Taksa-udom, Managing Director of Hillkoff from Muang Chiang Mai district, Chiang Mai. The company produces coffee beans and sells coffee-related products and services while creating a network of over 1,000 farmers in the northern region resulting in a sustainably balanced relationship between business, people and the environment.
• Outstanding young farm is awarded to Mr. Sujit Chitthichanonte, Director of Naville Food Services from Wiset Chai Chan district, Ang Thong. Mr. Sujit is a young farmer who runs an organic egg farm with a focus on animal welfare, reducing costs of using resources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, he promotes job creation and effectively manages the environmental impact on the surrounding communities.

Mr. Sujit Chitthichanonte, Director, Naeville Food Service, as the representative of the company receiving the "Agriculture Award 2024" talked about sustainable business guidelines and added that entrepreneurs in the livestock business must pay attention to what consumers value. The quality of products that must be healthy, and we must look at Animal Welfare from the beginning to the end of their life. Especially in European countries and America, farms are required to strictly comply with Animal Welfare standards. Production processes must also be environmentally friendly. The company has developed a formula of chicken feed using black soldier fly larvae, which provides high protein and has a lower environmental impact than using soybean. Other initiatives from the company include adapting to solar thermal energy, which is clean energy that reduces costs, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 122.445 tons of CO2 according to the assessment by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization.

"The business can grow sustainably, not only by adapting within the organization, but also by taking into account the impact and sustainability on the surrounding community. Therefore, the company has helped to collect fresh food waste from markets in nearby communities to use as food for a black soldier fly larvae and encourage the community to raise black soldier fly larvae and sell them to the company, as well as encouraging local farmers to use the farm's chicken manure as organic fertilizer. So, if we deeply understand consumers to enable us to adapt quickly, prioritize environmentally friendly production processes and support the surrounding community or society, our business will grow strongly and sustainably," Mr. Sujit said.

The Bank has also organized the "Modern Agriculture 2024" seminar to provide knowledge to farmers to help them cope with challenges from new global agricultural and environmental trade regulations and adopting AI technology in agriculture to enhance production efficiency and create new opportunities in the digital global market. The seminar topics include "Challenges from New Global Agricultural and Environmental Regulations: EUDR & CBAM" by Associate Professor Dr. Weeraphart Khunrattanasiri Dean of The Graduate School, Kasetsart University, "Sustainability in Agriculture" by Komkrish Nagalakshana Executive Director Vice President Corporate Sustainability Management, Mitr Phol Group, "AI Technology in Agriculture" by Associate Professor Dr. Ravipat Lapcharoensuk Department of Agricultural Engineering, School of Engineering, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, and "Three Modern Farmers 2024" discussion with the winners of the 2024 Bangkok Bank's Modern Agriculture Award.

Interested members of the public can buy quality agricultural products at the "Modern Agriculture Fair 2024" on Friday December 20, 2024 at Bangkok Bank's Head Office on Silom Road from 08:30 - 17:30 hrs and join the "Modern Agriculture Fair 2024" seminar from 12:15 - 16:00 hrs at Komut room on the 29th floor of Bangkok Bank's Head Office.