Wednesday January 24, 2024 at 17:00 p.m. – Agricultural Innovation Program, Faculty of Agriculture held the opening ceremony of the “KKU Smart flower farm 2024”. Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of the University presided over the ceremony, while Assoc. Prof. Darunee Jothityangkoon, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture welcomed the guests, and Mr. Ratchanon Raksat, a 3rd year student majoring in Agricultural Innovation gave the background report. A great number of people attended including administrators, deans, distinguished guests and news correspondents. The event took place at the tourism farm plots south of the Agricultural Technology Park, Khon Kaen University.
Assoc. Prof. Darunee Jothityangkoon, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture explained about the “KKU Smart flower farm 2024” that the Faculty of Agriculture opens a chance for students to carry out various activities or projects according to the expertise or the trends in agriculture so that the students learn about the implementation of different types of jobs, including production, management, marketing and organization of events in different forms. The Department of Agricultural Innovation has created the production plots for agricultural tourism and includes the plots as part of the Isan Agricultural Fair. The plots have been planted with sunflower, cosmos, and cutter. The plots form a recreation point for visitors to the fair, where they can take pictures of and with beautiful flowers for their keepsake.
Ratchanon Raksat, a 3rd year student of the Agricultural Innovation Program reported that the Agricultural Innovation Program has carried out the project in producing farm products and in providing service in the form of agricultural tourism as a part of Isan Agricultural Fair every year. The students majoring in Agricultural Innovation this year designed this zone by growing flowers in plots that can be a recreation point for people who come to the fair. There are cutters, cosmos, and sunflowers at the plots, which are the practice points for the students in management of zoning, producing, laboring and practicing being entrepreneurs from different activities at the plots. The practices correspond to agricultural tourism which is in trend today.
The important thing is that agriculture today does not depend on productivity only. Value adding of farm produces is also very essential as well as the alteration of the selling approaches, manufacturing, selling of tourism that become popular in many areas both domestically and abroad. This project therefore develops the students and corresponds to the arising changes.
“Production of farm produces today does not aim at consumption only, there is also visual consumption at the same time.”
This agrees with what Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of the University said in his opening address that Thailand is an agricultural country. Besides farm products, tourism is one of the biggest income-raising sources of the country each year. At present, agricultural tourism is being popular, for it integrates tourism with products, lifestyle and even foods.
Production of agricultural products today does not only emphasize food for consumption, but also visual consumption. Therefore, development of production skills for students today should include both production for consumption and production for tourism. The “KKU Smart flower farm 2024” of the students majoring in Agricultural Innovation this year makes the students basically learn about full-cycle production. They acquire knowledge, skills, and experience from practices of systematic production. The students have learned and become able to adjust themselves in carrying out jobs under their profession.
Tourists and the public can come to see the beautiful flowers at the cutter, cosmos and sunflower plots every day at the Tourism Farm Plots south of the Agricultural Technology Park, Khon Kaen University, and visit the Isan Agricultural Fair from January 26 until February 4, 2024.
News: Benjamaporn Mamook
Photos: Boriphat Thasi
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