ARDA, HRDI, and ISMED joined to sign the MOU to develop hemp plant into the industry

On August 6, 2021, Agricultural Research Development (Public Organization) or ARDA, led by Dr. Suwit Chaikiattiyos, Executive Director of Agricultural Research Development Agency, with Highland Research and Development Institute (Public Organization) or HRDI, and Institute of Small and Medium Enterprises Development or ISMEP held a signing ceremony for Memorandum of Understanding on academic cooperation in research and development of the country's hemp crops to the industry between three agencies via Facebook Live
The objective of MOU was to integrate work and use of resources together between ARDA, HRDI, and ISMED in order to maximize benefits in research and development studies on Hemp research in comprehensively and jointly apply the knowledge gained from research for further use in public and commercial policy as well as transfer technology and promote academic cooperation with various sectors. In the past, each agency had continued to work on research, development, and promotion of hemp.
Dr. Suwit Chaikiattiyos, Executive Director of Agricultural Research Development Agency said, “ARDA was the country's agricultural research funding agency and assigned to manage a research project on Thai herbs since the fiscal year 2014 – present. There are more than 240 projects with a budget of more than 500 million baht for research and development of Thai herbs in the field of treatment and other product developments as well as creating added economic value that linked to various industries and economic sectors. As a result, it has received cooperation from government agencies and the private sector. The research results obtained must have objectives, outcomes, and concrete results. Also can be used for real benefits. ARDA is following a government policy to support hemp as an economic crop that generates income for farmers and the country and will be a sponsor of research funding and management of knowledge in agriculture and agro-industry, including funding research on hemp to create an economy in terms of policy, and public and commercial. Moreover, ARDA has discussed with ISMED on collecting data on all aspects of hemp to form a database on the country's hemp. With this cooperation, ISMED sincerely hopes that it will be useful to support the development of hemp to be able to develop and can be further extended to the industrial sector of the country.
Mr. Wirat Prapthuk, Director of Highland Research and Development Institute (Public Organization) or HRDI, said HRDI and Royal Project Foundation and Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, and related agencies have researched and developed hemp to be an economic crop in the highlands since 2006 until the present.
Mr. Thanon Praichan, Director of the Institute of Small and Medium Enterprise Development, said Hemp is important to the development and upgrading of the S-Curve and New S-Curve industries for Thailand, which Thai private sector has wanted to use hemp as a raw material for adding value to the industry for a long time. Also, the agricultural sector wants to grow hemp as a new economic crop to replace maize and other low-value crops. The law is now opening up to allow businesses to invest in the development of a wide range of hemp products to the commercial market and be more flexible.
In the past, ISMED has knowledge and experience in the study and development of hemp for at least 9 years from 2012 to the present through cooperation with HRDI and support budgets from multiple departments with lots of experiences, covering marketing situations, production, and related laws including guidelines for utilizing various parts of hemp, developing product prototypes that are consistent with the industrial production process of Thai private sector.