Pilot project for developing high-quality rice varieties from two countries by the first Riceberry rice breeder in Thailand.
(November 28, 2023) : Miss Suchada Tansap, Secretary to the Minister of Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), and H.E. Mr. Felipe de la Morena Casado, Ambassador Extraordinary of the Kingdom of Spain to Thailand, jointly presided over the opening ceremony of cooperation in the development of innovation in sustainable food products and processes, focusing on functional foods and valorization of agrifood waste. This was held within the framework of the Spain-Thailand Innovation & Tech Dialogue Platform for Healthy and Sustainable Food Products & Processes: Functional Foods & Valorization of Agrifood Waste. The event was organized by Thailand’s Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC) and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), a research and technology development funding agency under the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities of Spain. The event saw the participation of over 100 entrepreneurs, startups, and researchers, marking the first collaboration between Thailand and Spain to enhance research and innovation cooperation. It facilitated the exchange of technology information and supported collaboration between Thai and Spanish researchers and entrepreneurs under the Thailand-Spain Innovation Program (TLSIP), initiated by PMUC and CDTI. The collaboration initially focuses on high-nutrition functional foods and innovation in adding value to agrifood waste, aiming to promote sustainable health for the populations of both countries. A leading project under this initiative is the research and development of rice varieties with high nutritional value, high yield, and resistance to diseases and insects in all weather conditions. This project, titled “Innovarice Thai,” was led by Professor Aphichat Wannawijitr, Ph.D., former director of the Rice Science Center at Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, a pioneer in Riceberry rice breeding, including Rainbow Rice, the first of its kind in Thailand.
The project involved crossbreeding Indica with Japonica to obtain highly nutritious rice from Temperate Japonica rice varieties developed by the Copsemar Rice Center in Spain, known for high yields, disease resistance, and high amylose content, with the first purple Indica rice variety to create high-yielding purple rice with low Glycemic Index (GI) and high nutritional value. This rice variety is expected to help reduce the incidence of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and can adapt to cultivation conditions both in the European Union and Thailand.
Miss Suchada stated that the Thailand-Spain Innovation Program (TLSIP), aims to promote research and development collaboration between the two countries, particularly in the creation of innovative products, especially health foods and functional foods, as well as sustainable agricultural waste utilization processes. Additionally, it serves as a platform for connecting, exchanging, and transferring technology between researchers and the private sector, fostering cross-border cooperation that plays a significant role in enhancing the sustainability of both countries’ societies.
Mr. Felipe de la Morena Casado mentioned that the upcoming Spanish-Thai research and innovation collaboration would cover all dimensions of research for the first time between the governments of the two countries through the ministries of science and technology. He expressed confidence that this collaboration would drive research and innovation towards sustainable solutions for healthy food production systems.
Within the event, a joint memorandum and a three-year (2024-2026) cooperation plan in technology and innovation development were signed between PMUC and CDTI. Mr. Javier Ponce, the Director General of CDTI, stated that the framework for this cooperation plan stemmed from a memorandum of understanding signed by both agencies in 2022 to support funding for joint innovation projects between Thailand and Spain in research areas such as circular economy, clean energy, renewable energy, and health food to strengthen both countries’ economies.
Dr. Thongchai Suwansichon, Director of PMUC, emphasized that the cooperation plan in technology and innovation development focuses on pairing and expanding business outcomes for Thai-Spanish entrepreneurs and researchers. Over the next two years, the collaboration will extend to the clean energy and medical health industries. He highlighted the significant role of PMUC in linking and fostering cooperation in technology and innovation development, including technology transfer, as part of the Global Partnership initiative by connecting Thai universities and private sectors with government and private agencies in several countries, including the United Kingdom, European Union, and South Korea.
