By School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD)
Eain Dray Aung, a recent graduate of the Natural Resources Management (NRM) program at the School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), has published her first peer-reviewed research paper in Global Transitions, an Elsevier Q1 journal focused on sustainability transitions (CiteScore 6.1, Impact Factor 3.1). The article, titled “Investigating Farmers’ Adoption of Mobile Agri-Tech: A TAM-Based Study of KaseChar in Eastern Thailand” (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.glt.2025.07.003 ), was co-authored with her academic advisor, Professor Nophea Sasaki, and thesis committee members Dr. Takuji W. Tsusaka and Dr. Chaklam Silpasuwanchai.
The study explores how smallholder farmers in Eastern Thailand adopt mobile technologies for sustainable agricultural waste management. At the center of the research is KaseChar, a mobile application prototyped by Eain Dray as part of her thesis, aimed at helping farmers produce biochar, improve soil health, and access carbon markets. The application was further developed in collaboration with Ritik Sareen, a fellow AIT student in the Information Management academic program under the School of Engineering and Technology (SET).
Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study identifies key factors influencing adoption, including perceived usefulness, ease of use, behavioral intention, and social influence. The research draws on data collected from 150 smallholder farmers in Chachoengsao Province and integrates additional variables such as digital readiness, institutional support, and waste management costs to present a comprehensive view of mobile agri-tech adoption in rural settings.
Eain Dray employed a mixed-methods approach, combining structured surveys, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and field-based app demonstrations. The findings highlight a strong behavioral intention to adopt KaseChar, particularly among farmers already incurring waste management costs. However, barriers such as digital literacy, infrastructure gaps, and labor intensity were identified as challenges to broader adoption.
The study concludes with practical recommendations, including targeted training programs, improved rural internet infrastructure, and policy-driven incentives to foster inclusive technology uptake.
Currently, under the continued mentorship of Professor Sasaki, Eain Dray is developing her second research paper, focusing on behavioral segmentation among smallholder farmers. This follow-up study aims to support the design of more tailored and effective digital extension services to promote equitable access to climate-smart technologies.
Her research contributes to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- SDG 1: No Poverty – by improving rural income through waste valorization and carbon markets
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger – by enhancing soil fertility and sustainable farming
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – by promoting circular use of agri-waste
- SDG 13: Climate Action – by reducing open-field burning and advancing carbon sequestration
- SDG 15: Life on Land – by encouraging sustainable land and residue management
Eain Dray attributes her academic success to the collaborative and interdisciplinary environment at AIT, the strong mentorship of her faculty, and the financial support provided by the Asian Development Bank – Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP). Her achievement underscores AIT’s commitment to fostering research-led innovation that addresses real-world sustainability challenges and contributes to a more inclusive and climate-resilient future.
Link to the published article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.glt.2025.07.003
