September 11, 2020 at Vegetation Section of Farm Technology Park – Khon Kaen University by Faculty of Business Administration and Accountancy and Faculty of Agriculture with the 8 networks held an MOU signing ceremony for academic collaboration on “Sustainable DevelopmeNt of Smart Agriculture Capacity: [SuNSpaCe]” a project under the European Union (EU). The ceremony presided over by Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University, who gave an opening address. Among honorable participants were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pensri Charoenwanit, Dean of Faculty of Business Administration and Accountancy, who gave a reporting speech; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Darunee Chotithayangkoonand, Dean of Faculty of Agriculture; and Khun Sattha Khotpalayuk, Vice Governor of Khon Kaen who extended his congratulations along with leaders of 8 organizations, farmer groups and the press, totaling over 100 people.
Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University
Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University said that SUNSpaCe Project has been given a chance from EU, and it is Khon Kaen University by Faculty of Business Administration and Accountancy and Faculty of Agriculture that will implement the project. This project is in fact carried out in parallel by many universities worldwide. The aim is to use smart technology to analyze and compile data before transferring farm technologies to farmers so that they are able to manage and run their farms promptly. The traditional farming, i.e., enough for the living, will be transformed into small-scale or medium-scale farms. Besides producing quality products, overall economy will be provoked, answering community policy or ‘people’ of the University. This is also research transformation – research based on users’ needs or on the country’s problems. The goal of research will be beyond publication to real use, bringing about new products or innovations – propulsion of research towards commercial innovations.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pensri Charoenwanit, Dean of Faculty of Business Administration and Accountancy
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pensri Charoenwanit, Dean of Faculty of Business Administration and Accountancy explained that “Sustainable developmeNt Smart Agriculture Capacity [SuNSpaCe]” receives monetary support from Erasmus+ (Erasmus – EuRopean Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students. This is one of EU’s projects to enhance education and train the youths and Europeans with allocated budget of 14,700 million euros. Over 4 million Europeans will be trained abroad. Presently, Erasmus+ does not only give a chance to students, but also provides opportunities for multiple individuals and organizations, luckily including Khon Kaen University, thanks to KKBS for proposal writing that took more than 2 years, leading to the success witnessed today.
“SUNSpaCe Project produces a framework that opens for development and training in education in order for farmers to understand how to utilize new technologies. The project regularly develops learning approaches that can be adjusted. Suitable tools as the learning media are ready for the training. The collaboration is aimed towards academic and research cooperation, using IoT in upgrading produces, upgrading quality of life, integrating education and transfer of smart farming concept. The collaboration will also be a learning resource for students, personnel, entrepreneurs and any people interested, bringing utmost benefits in academic and operations and resulting in a prototype of smart farming”, Dean of KKBS said.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Darunee Chotithayangkoonand, Dean of Faculty of Agriculture
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Darunee Chotithayangkoonand, Dean of Faculty of Agriculture revealed that the objectives and goal of the project are to apply smart technology to compile and analyze data on overall value chain. Farmers are able to manage and run their work promptly. Various data will be analyzed for the planning and improving of work by themselves on SMEs farms. The produces will be of quality as innovative tools will be used together with marketing knowledge, leading in turn, to increased incomes.
Faculty of Business Administration and Accountancy has been invited to join the Sustainable developmeNt Smart Agriculture Capacity [SuNSpaCe], with cooperation from Business and Social Incubation Center. Principal universities that join are: Lyon2 ULL, University of the West of Scotland – UWS, Corvinus University of Budapest – CUB to monitor, give consultation and transfer knowledge from Europe to Asian network universities including Chiang Mai University – CMU, KhonKaen University – KKU, Kantipur Engineering College – KEC, Acme Engineering College – AEC, Royal University of Bhutan – RUB. These universities will perform experiments and research on Pilot Site and Smart Lap.
The past operation involved meetings and preparation, which have been going on since January 2019. The project life is 3 years from 2019 until 2021. With expertise of each university, modern farming techniques will be transferred to farmers, depending also on their potential and farm conditions. These farmers are expected to extend the knowledge to more than 300 other farmers. Smart tools now include moisture gauging tool in fields and farms, a tool for checking soil chemicals, air temperature sensor for appropriate use of water, etc.
[ Thai ]
News: Jiraporn Prathumchai
Photos: Warunyu Donnua
