To mark World Environment Day 2023 on 5 June and raise awareness about global warming and responsible consumption, Oam Suk Social Enterprise Co., Ltd. under the Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited, purchased 40 tonnes of low-emission rice produced following environment-friendly practices by farmer members of the Thai Rice NAMA project and the Plang Yai Kaset Samai Mai Community Enterprise in Doem Bang Nang Buat district, Suphanburi province.

The rice handover ceremony was witnessed by Peeraphan Korthong, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, Dr Bernd Christiansen, Counsellor for Food and Agriculture, on behalf of the German Ambassador, Chitnucha Buddhaboon, Deputy Director-General of the Rice Department, Rapeetouch Unjittphan, Deputy Director-General, Department of Agricultural Extension, Nana Kuenkel, GIZ Thailand’s Agriculture and Food Cluster Director Coordinator, and Ole Henriksen, Director of the Thai Rice NAMA Project, along with Somchai Tejavanija, Chief Marketing Officer, Marketing Business Group and Gloyta Nathalang, Oamsuk, Social Enterprise Director and Executive Vice President, Corporate Branding, Communication and Sustainability Activation, Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited.

The low-emission rice is the product of a change in perspective and adoption of new rice cultivation low-emission rice farming technologies the Thai Rice NAMA project introduced to Plang Yai Kaset Samai Mai Community Enterprise through a collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC) and GIZ Thailand. This collaboration aims to enhance rice production and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. The four-plus-one mitigation technologies to reduce costs are: 1) Laser land levelling to enhance production efficiency; 2) Alternate wetting and drying; 3) Site-specific nutrient management; and 4) Straw and stubble management and Integrated pest management (IPM). The adoption of these low-carbon technologies on farmers’ demonstration plots under the Thai Rice NAMA project was able to reduce greenhouse emissions by approximately 30% compared to conventional rice farming methods.

“Bangchak has placed great importance on creating marketing channels for community products since 1998. Community agricultural products and processed goods are selected as premium gifts for customers. This approach stands out for connecting producers and consumers while supporting our Thai farming community. The support of Thai Rice NAMA will help raise awareness of global warming protection, an effort that requires everyone’s collaboration and participation,” said Somchai Tejavanija.

Sawanee Phorang, Thai Rice NAMA farmer member and representative of Plang Yai Kaset Samai Mai Community Enterprise, said members would receive a 300-baht top-up from the market price for each tonne of rice sold to Oam Suk Social Enterprise. Income and profits from selling the low-emission rice would also go back to the group for management, with dividends usually distributed to all members at the end of the year. Sawanee added the group also received many preorders from retail consumers. “Low-emission rice produced under the Thai Rice NAMA project not only gives market opportunities to smallholder farmers like us, but also makes consumers part of the climate-smart solution,” she said.