Seminar on the results of royal initiative projects in 2025.

News No. 53/2024 Date 26 May 2025

     Today (26 May 2025), Mr. Itthi Sirilathayakorn, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, presided over the opening of the seminar “Results of Monitoring Royal Initiative Projects and Projects Applying the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy in Fiscal Year 2025”, which was attended by Mr. Prayoon Insakul, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, executives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Office of the Special Committee for Coordination of Royal Initiative Projects (OCSC), Royal Thai Army Headquarters, Royal Thai Army, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, representatives from Huai Sai Royal Development Study Center, Phetchaburi Province, Phu Phan Royal Development Study Center, Sakon Nakhon Province, Model Farm Project of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother, Tambon Khlong Hoi Khong, Amphoe Khlong Hoi Khong, Songkhla Province, and the Highland Agricultural Development Station of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother, Ban Pa Kha, Amphoe Khlong Lan, Kamphaeng Phet Province, approximately 400 people, at the Phueng Boon Meeting Room. Vision Building, Office of Agricultural Economics 
    On this occasion, Mr. Itthi Sirilathayakorn, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, said that the policy of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has a policy to protect the monarchy by giving priority to the implementation of the royal initiative projects to express loyalty and gratitude to His Majesty the King, including continuing, preserving, and expanding various projects of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great continuously. In driving the royal initiative projects, all agencies have worked together to support and help farmers to have a better life, with the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE) as the main agency to monitor the progress of the projects and present it to executives and related agencies to use the information and expand the results. 
    This seminar is an important forum for all agencies to join forces to continue, preserve, and expand the royal initiative projects, including integrating the cooperation network to monitor the projects between the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and agencies that operate the royal initiative projects in agriculture to jointly create a cooperation network. Join together to fulfill His Majesty the King's royal intention to continue, preserve and develop the royal initiative projects, as well as to extract lessons and disseminate the success of the royal initiative projects of His Majesty the King and all members of the royal family for all to see.
    Mr. Chanthanon Wannakhet, Secretary-General of the Office of Agricultural Economics, revealed that currently, there are approximately 4,145 royal initiative projects implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (80 percent of the total 5,201 projects). In the fiscal year 2025, 983 projects were implemented. Examples of the results and successes of royal initiative projects related to the agricultural sector in various aspects include: Water resource development projects, which are projects related to the development of water sources for cultivation or irrigation, consisting of water resource development projects for cultivation and consumption, such as reservoirs and weirs, water resource development projects for the conservation of watersheds, water resource development projects for hydroelectricity generation, water drainage projects from lowlands, and flood alleviation projects. The benefits are clearly visible, such as the Naruebodindrachinda Reservoir Project under the Royal Initiative in Prachin Buri Province, which is a water source and increases the irrigated area in the rainy season by 111,300 rai and in the dry season by 45,000 rai, helping to alleviate flooding in the Prachin Buri River Basin and tributaries in Nadi and Kabin Buri Districts, Prachin Buri Province. And solve the problem of wastewater, drain water, dilute water, help slow down saltwater. The reservoir area and surrounding areas have been developed, conserved and restored. The surrounding people have stable jobs and a better quality of life, with increased income. 
    The agricultural development project is a project that supports education, research, experimentation and research to find new plant species, both economic plants such as silkworms, rubber, plants for soil improvement and medicinal plants, as well as studies on pests and various animal species suitable for the area, such as cows, buffalo, goats, sheep, fish, poultry, etc., most of which are operated at the Royal Development Study Center. And bring the results of the study and experimentation to the public, such as 
    the pilot project to solve agricultural problems by applying the royal initiative to the area of ​​​​Nong Krathing, Sanam Chai Khet District, Chachoengsao Province, found that it helped reduce household expenses by an average of 4,358 baht per household per year and was sold, generating an average agricultural income of 6,088 baht per household per year. The extension project in the area of ​​​​the Pa Sak River Basin Development Project under the royal initiative, Chai Badan District, Lopburi Province, which focuses on promoting the creation of a learning network in line with the royal initiative of mixed farming. By transferring knowledge of the sufficiency economy to 115 farmers, they were able to reduce household expenses by an average of 3,476 baht per household per year and sell their products in the mixed farming plots, generating an average agricultural income of 3,200 baht per household per year. The model marine farm project under the royal initiative of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, Bang Kaew Subdistrict, Ban Laem District, Phetchaburi Province, to be a zero-waste farm model, demonstrating the construction of rope rafts as a habitat for marine animals, supporting 1 million aquatic animals for farmers. 82 percent of farmers have knowledge and understanding from studying at the model farm and have applied the knowledge, which can reduce agricultural expenses by 45,723 baht per household per year.
    Career development projects, such as the Agricultural Technology Training and Transfer Project in Villages Surrounding the Development Study Center, the Special Handicraft Project Nationwide, the Small-Scale Palm Oil Industry Promotion Project, the Ban Rai Flower and Fruit Cultivation and Development Service Center Project, Chiang Mai Province, the Vetiver Grass Planting Promotion Project for Soil and Water Conservation for Agricultural Sustainability, and other Royal Initiative Highland Agricultural Development Station Projects, Integrated 
    Development Projects/Other Development Projects, such as the Water Conservation for the Mother of the Land Project in Mae Hong Son, Uttaradit, and Loei Provinces, through community participation to maintain a sustainable ecological balance in the Pai River Basin, Li River Basin, and Man River Basin. 14 groups of farmers in 20 villages have benefited, with an average income increase of 3,383 baht per household per year. The Pak Phanang River Basin Development Project in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, and Phatthalung Provinces has been able to solve the problems of the people, especially the problem of 4 waters and 3 flavors (salty water - sour water, flooding - drought). Natural resources and the environment have been restored to balance in 10 districts and 73 sub-districts. More than 77 percent of farmers have participated in various activities under the project and have stable careers. And household income increased after joining the project by an average of 7,338 baht per household per year. The Phu Fa Development Center Project under the royal initiative, Nan Province, operates in Phu Fa Sub-district, Bo Kluea District, covering a working area of ​​1,800 rai and 6 villages for expansion. There are 327 farmers in the area who have developed their knowledge and received support for production factors in further developing their agriculture, both plant and animal breeds. After joining the project, their income increased from selling agricultural products in the form of mixed farming, such as kitchen gardening, raising chickens and raising fish, by an average of 7,912 baht per household per year. The New Theory Agriculture Expansion Project under the royal initiative, Khao Wong District, Kalasin Province, promotes agricultural vocational skills training, supports production factors in plants, fisheries, and livestock, and soil improvement to increase production efficiency. Farmers were able to reduce their household expenses by an average of 5,072 baht per household per year and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and chemicals by 51 percent. The Royal Project Khlong Lan Highland Development Project, Kamphaeng Phet Province, develops and promotes appropriate careers and improves the quality of life of people in highlands. Activities include community forestation, vetiver grass planting, reducing the use of chemicals, and making compost. 52 percent of farmers use agricultural waste materials to reduce environmental problems.
    Ms. Thanyathitha Boonyamaneekul, Deputy Secretary-General of ONESQA, added that this seminar, organized by ONESQA, through the Evaluation Center, will be held from 26-27 May 2025. The first day of the seminar included a discussion on “Lessons Learned from Successful Royal Initiative Projects” by representatives from the Huai Sai Royal Initiative Development Study Center in Phetchaburi Province, the Phu Phan Royal Initiative Development Study Center in Sakon Nakhon Province, the Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother’s Model Sea Farm Project, Tambon Khlong Hoi Khong, Amphoe Khlong Hoi Khong, Songkhla Province, and the Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother’s Highland Agricultural Development Station Project. Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Ban Pa Kha, Khlong Lan District, Kamphaeng Phet Province, and a seminar on “Monitoring the Implementation of Royal Initiative Projects and Projects Applying the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy in an Integrated Area” by representatives from Offices of Agricultural Economics 1-12. 
For the second day of the seminar (27 May 2025), the results of the monitoring of royal initiative projects and projects applying the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy were presented by the Evaluation Center, in collaboration with Offices of Agricultural Economics 1-12, to listen to comments from seminar participants, which will be useful in improving the monitoring results to be more complete and ready to be forwarded to relevant agencies to use as a framework or direction for planning operations in the following year. In addition, there was an exhibition presenting the results of the royal initiative projects of 4 agencies: the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission, the Royal Thai Army, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and the Office of Agricultural Economics to create knowledge and understanding and to publicize the results of the monitoring and the results of the monitoring to be known.

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