GULF, led by Mr. Tanon Tantisunthorn, Chief Infrastructure & Logistics Business Officer (5th from left), together with Mr. Durongrit Siriwattanapan, Deputy Governor of Saraburi Province (6th from left), and Ms. Yanisa Wattanakumnuan, GULF’s Head of Corporate Communications (4th from left), hosted rice harvesting activities at the Nong Saeng Agricultural Learning Center and Demonstration Farm in Saraburi Province to promote and preserve Thai farming traditions.

The traditional harvesting rituals practiced by farmers are regarded as a cultural heritage that has been passed on across generations, symbolizing the farmers’ deep connection with the nature. Recognizing the importance of these customs in Thailand’s agricultural practices, Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited, or GULF, organized an event titled “Harvesting in the Footsteps of Tradition,” which took place at the agricultural learning center and demonstration farm, as part of the facilities of Nong Saeng power project in Saraburi province. Established as a hub for agricultural knowledge-sharing and innovation, this center demonstrates how the power plant and the community can coexist harmoniously and mutually benefit one another. Additionally, GULF aims to develop this project into a model that exemplifies sustainable agricultural practices and further disseminates knowledge to farmers in various regions, contributing to the pursuit of a circular economy.

Furthermore, the event featured a mini farm-to-table experience showcasing homemade fare that creatively utilized products sourced from the farm, such as Kheiw Ngu sticky rice and organic free-range eggs. This aimed to motivate and inspire participants to incorporate these ingredients in their meal preparations and experiment with farm produce in their own unique ways in order to earn a living. For sampling by the participants and local community members, a variety of rice species, some harvested from the rice paddy fields, were incorporated into a variety of dishes. These included fragrant emerald brown jasmine rice ice-cream, a North-eastern Thai style rice snack made from pounded unripe Khieo Ngu sticky rice, and homemade Riceberry cereal.

Mr. Tanon Tantisunthorn, Chief Infrastructure & Logistics Business Officer, GULF, expressed, “Since the inception of the Nong Saeng power plant construction, GULF has recognized that the majority of the project’s surrounding area is primarily agricultural land. This awareness, coupled with our commitment to environmental stewardship, prompted us to dedicate our time to design an ecosystem where the power plant and local farming practices can coexist in a sustainable manner. Consequently, we devised the plan to establish this agricultural learning center and demonstration farm, functioning as both an educational hub and a pilot farm for organic farming. Over the course of its eight years of operation, the center attracted a large number of visitors, including local farmers themselves, students, and government officials from various departments nationwide. GULF is determined to fully realize the potential of this facility within the circular economy framework by modeling a design principle aimed at maximizing the efficiency of scarce resources, minimizing wastes, and most importantly, ensuring environmental sustainability, especially in light of the escalating PM 2.5 issue. As part of this commitment, the center has implemented eco-friendly approaches to managing rice paddies in manners at which pollution is mitigated. For example, rather than incinerating rice stubbles, we have modified our farming methods to include them as compost towards the next crop cycle. This regenerative farming involves cultivating microorganisms to use as fertilizers before planting the next batch of rice. The practice reflects the zero-waste principle which aims to reduce waste in order to reduce pollution. Furthermore, GULF plans on integrating renewable energy sources such as solar power into the center’s operations for a more holistic management of resources used to run the center in the future.”

Mr. Durongrit Siriwattanapan, Deputy Governor of Saraburi Province, stated, “A significant portion of Saraburi’s population, particularly in Nong Saeng District, is involved in agriculture with rice cultivation as the predominant occupation due to the area’s ample access to irrigation canals. Traditionally in farming practices, the remaining byproduct straw stubbles are burned after each harvest, causing significant pollution to be emitted into the atmosphere. However, this demonstration farm educates local farmers methods of farming without burning straw. It introduces a type of rotational farming that is not only environmentally friendly but also yields results comparable to mechanized farming. I would like to thank GULF for preserving the value of our community’s way of life and establishing this agricultural learning center that serves both the locals surrounding the power plant and the broader public communities. Furthermore, we encourage everyone interested in sustainable agriculture and innovative farming practices to visit this center.”

Mr. Thanakit Kaypromrach, Plant Manager, Nong Saeng power project, shared, “The agricultural learning center and demonstration farm have been developed on 42-rai land, as part of the Nong Saeng power project. At present, the primary focus will be on rice paddies, which function as a laboratory-like environment for experimenting with various rice strains in order to recommend the villagers on how to implement these varieties in their own fields. The center also includes vegetable and animal farming, which can be processed into a range of products. Through community training programs, GULF seeks to promote organic farming methods. Over the recent years, many topics have been covered, including the cultivation of earthworms and the production of vermicompost for vegetable growing, breeding black soldier fly larvae from broken rice and vegetable scraps, and using the larvae’s pupae as chicken feed. These creative methods are regarded as innovative pilot steps towards a comprehensive, and modernized organic farming, as the company works to support agricultural sustainability in the community and ensure net-positive impact to its stakeholders.”

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