5 December 2024: The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) hosted a workshop titled “Empowering Farming Communities on the Adoption of Regenerative Agriculture as Nature-Positive Solutions for Rice Production” on 4 December 2024. Led by Dr Sushil Kumar Himanshu, Assistant Professor in Agricultural Systems and Engineering of the School of Environment Resources and Development (SERD) at AIT, the event aimed to equip farming communities with practical knowledge and skills through demonstrations and field trials of regenerative agricultural practices.
The workshop featured hands-on activities and interactive sessions, offering practical insights into implementing regenerative practices for sustainable rice production. Over 90 participants attended the event, including representatives from universities, government organizations, private companies, and farmer groups, creating a platform for collaboration and learning.
In his welcome remarks, Prof. Pai-Chi Li, President of AIT, emphasized the critical role of collaborative efforts in adopting regenerative agricultural practices for sustainable rice production.
Dr. Himanshu provided an overview of the workshop’s objectives, emphasizing its importance. He remarked, “This timely event is a crucial step in equipping farming communities with the knowledge and tools needed to transition to regenerative agricultural practices. By focusing on nature-positive solutions, we aim to tackle pressing challenges in rice production, including soil degradation, loss of biodiversity, and the impacts of climate change.”
The workshop featured three key sessions that focused to provide comprehensive insights and practical knowledge on regenerative agriculture. The first session, Knowledge Sharing, addressed the current state, challenges, and future opportunities for adopting regenerative agriculture as a nature-positive solution for rice production. Notable speakers included Dr. Suriyan Cha-Um, Senior Scientist, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand; Ms. Tracy Foo, Director, ReGreen Earth Co. Ltd., Thailand; Ms. Apirapee Settharuk Tancharoenwong, Head, Communication Innovation Department, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand; Dr. Weerachai Matthayatthaworn, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Thailand; Dr. Sainam Udpuay, Senior Agricultural Scientist, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand; Dr. Itesh Dash, Founder and Director, Beyond Climate Solutions, Thailand and Dr. Kanthanawit Jaisong, Senior Agricultural Scientist, Pathum Thani Rice Research Center, Thailand.
The second session, Poster Competition, showcased innovative ideas, research findings, and success stories in regenerative agriculture and digital innovations. Fourteen participants presented their work, evaluated by esteemed judges, with winners recognized for their outstanding contributions. The first prize of 10,000 THB was awarded to Subesh Dhakal for his work on “Regenerative Agriculture Practices for Improving Productivity of Wet Direct-Seeded Rice”. The second prize of 7,500 THB went to Partha Biswas for his research on “Sustainable Cropping Strategies and Ecosystem Resilience Agriculture: Enhancing Groundwater Sustainable in the Dry Barind Region of Bangladesh”, while the third prize of 5,000 THB was awarded to Shubham Anil Gade for his project on “Agro-meteorological Forecasts and Advisories through Mobile Applications and Social Media for Climate-Smart Agriculture in Thailand and Vietnam”
The third session, Demonstrations and Hands-On Activities provided participants with practical skills to implement regenerative agricultural practices. The demonstrations included Small-scale biochar production techniques and best practices for farming community, Biochar application and alternate wetting and drying (AWD) in rice field experiments and insights on optimizing regenerative farming practices using biochar for controlled crop environments.
The workshop concluded with closing remarks from Prof. Nitin Tripathi, Vice President of Academic Affairs at AIT, and Prof. P. Abdul Salam, Dean of SERD. They emphasized the need for increased awareness, collaboration, and capacity-building efforts. Their focus was on the importance of practical demonstrations and training to encourage the widespread adoption of regenerative agricultural practices for sustainable rice production.
The workshop highlighted AIT’s dedication to advancing nature-positive solutions and empowering farming communities with the tools and knowledge to achieve sustainable agricultural futures.
