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NIA's Roles in the Development of Organic Business in Thailand
As organic agriculture offers high potential especially when it comes to exports, approximately four years ago the National Innovation Agency (NIA) started to lay down the infrastructure to help bring local organic products to international markets through a new initiative entitled "Strengthening the Export Capacity of Thailand's Organic Agriculture." The project, which was co-supported by NIA and UNCTAD/WTO's International Trade Center, was to study innovation aspects of organic agriculture to strengthen the country's export capacity to the European Union market and other oversea markets in the region. Under the project, NIA also promoted Thailand's organic agricultural business under the notion "Think Organic…Think Thailand."
The outcomes of this project have led to the Thai government's approval of the National Strategies for Organic Agriculture Development and the establishment of the National Organic Agriculture Development Committee, with NIA being appointed as a Committee Member and Assistant to the Secretary of this National Committee. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also approved significant funding for NIA under the Foreign Missions Integrated Project (FMIP) in Fiscal Year 2008 to carry out the project "Strengthening the Marketing and Export Capacity of Thailand's Organic Products". We also note that the Cabinet has approved the National Action Plan for the Development of Organic Agriculture for 2008 to 2011 and allocated a 4.8 billion Baht budget to implement this National Action Plan. Thus, our Agency is taking a significant role in shaping the organic policy in Thailand as well as facilitating the development of the organic industry.
So far, NIA's efforts have proven very successful and helped to create a significant collaborative network among private sectors, researchers, and organic producers. The network has led to the development of over twenty organic-related innovation projects under NIA's technical and financial support schemes. In parallel, NIA also works with the Thai Organic Trade Association (TOTA) to promote and encourage organic business development in Thailand. In light of this successful operation, NIA has set a target to support at least fifty more entrepreneurs in the next few years and help them to eventually produce and improve their organic products for exports.
Download : Report on Strengthening the Export Capacity of Thailand’s Organic Agriculture |
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