Creation of Local Agricultural Networks and Community Enterprises in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province to Prepare and Transfer Knowledge on Upgrading the Development of Hemp Products
In 2021, The Center of Excellence for Local and City Governance: CLCG, Walailak University, partners with the Thai Local Sustainability Development Institute and Tha Sala Community Enterprise to organize a free event on the local farmer network and community enterprise network in Nakhon Si Thammarat province to prepare and exchange on hemp development according to the new law and to provide opportunities for thought processes and experiences on hemp among the project participants by joining together in the form of community enterprises. Also, the workshop aims to upgrade the development of hemp products. There were 50 people interested in participating, including farmers and various enterprises: processed food producers, farmers, etc.
The creation of agricultural networks and community enterprises in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province to prepare and transfer knowledge on upgrading the development of hemp products to prepare the development of hemp following the new law that the Ministry of Public Health has the policy to encourage hemp to be an economic crop. Therefore, it is important to educate people or those interested in planting hemp to take advantage. As a result, it gives people the knowledge of how to grow hemp legally, and it is a gathering of community enterprises to request permission to grow hemp. Moreover, it is a guideline to cooperate in planting with agencies under the Ministry of Public Health, such as Subdistrict Health Promotion Hospital or other government agencies, on how to do and why to request permission to plant with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
It considers customer demand and studies the law on illegal hemp cultivation; hence this event is significant to those who attend the seminar. In the future, Walailak University shall develop a policy plan to maximize the benefits of hemp cultivation and upgrade it to be an economic crop in cooperation with various agencies; to provide careers, upgrade food products, and continue to generate income for the community. Besides, the event provides knowledge about hemp, especially the legal aspects and guidelines for integrating community enterprises and acquiring permission to plant hemp in community areas. It also provides an opportunity for study and experiences about hemp among the project participants who gathered in the form of community enterprises. The target group for this training is 50 people interested in hemp economic crops in Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.
In 2022, Walailak University, the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM), and six private companies signed a contract for research cooperation on medicinal cannabis, hemp, and kratom to carry out more than ten projects. In addition, WU has set up a committee to supervise those plants’ research, development, and utilization to promote research development and innovation to meet the needs of both domestic and international markets. Also, WU provides 208,000 m2 of research areas for the private sector to develop the species, cultivation systems, and production of cannabis, hemp, and kratom with Executives and personnel of WU, Executives of DTAM, the private sector, researchers, and the agricultural community enterprise joined the signing. The university also supports the private sector in accessing scientific tools for laboratory analysis. Under these research projects, more than ten researchers from WU and other universities have collaborated with private-sector researchers to develop herbal research on cannabis, hemp, and kratom.
The event featured products made from cannabis, hemp, kratom, and medicinal plants such as coffee, tea, cookies, and gum, which are now widely popular for their medicinal properties and healthcare uses. Additionally, the recent Covid-19 epidemic stimulates people to consume more herbal products.
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Walailak University
