Bangkok: The Department of Energy Development and Promotion (DED) has joined forces with seven agricultural and environmental organizations to establish a comprehensive five-year framework aimed at transforming the agricultural sector towards low-carbon operations. This groundbreaking collaboration involves the integration of energy conservation and renewable energy technologies into the agricultural sector, which includes crops, livestock, and fisheries. The primary objective is to reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and achieve net-zero carbon emissions.
According to Thai News Agency, the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Conservation (DEDE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) titled "Promoting Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy in the Agricultural Sector" with seven key agencies. These include the Office of Agricultural Economics, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Livestock Development, the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Agricultural Extension, the Department of Rice, and the Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCNE). This MOU outlines a collaborative five-year plan to promote energy conservation and renewable energy across the agricultural domain.
Ms. Nanthika Thangsupanich, Director-General of the DED, emphasized that the initiative aims to incorporate energy solutions into agricultural production processes, ranging from energy usage analysis to the selection of suitable renewable energy technologies. This integration is expected to reduce costs, increase production efficiency, and ultimately transition the agricultural sector to low-carbon operations while simultaneously cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Ms. Nanthika highlighted the challenge of aligning energy knowledge with agricultural practices to produce tangible results. The focus is on reducing energy expenses, boosting production efficiency, and choosing technologies that fit specific area contexts to build sustainable resilience for farmers.
The Department of Energy will support this initiative by providing information, demonstrating technologies, and offering consultation. They will inspect and analyze the energy usage of target groups before selecting appropriate renewable energy sources. Additionally, there will be a push to use high-efficiency agricultural machinery and equipment with energy-efficient labels.
The Office of Agricultural Economics will offer statistical data and economic indicators to aid in planning and evaluating energy measures, while the Department of Agriculture will link crop research with energy technologies to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The Department of Agricultural Extension will play a vital role in promoting technology adoption among farmer groups and community enterprises nationwide. The Department of Livestock Development will concentrate on farm management and animal waste utilization, such as biogas production, whereas the Department of Fisheries will work on enhancing energy efficiency in aquaculture systems. The Department of Rice will merge rice production data with renewable energy to cut costs, boost yields, and promote eco-friendly rice farming.
Given the diverse energy use in the agricultural sector, the collaboration will tailor guidelines and technologies to specific activities and areas, rather than applying a single model across all production sectors. Each agency will select crops, farms, and facilities capable of promoting energy conservation and renewable energy.
In addition, a separate MOU was signed between the DED and the National Institute of Environmental Quality Promotion (NIE) to promote energy conservation in various sectors, including industrial, commercial, residential, agricultural, and transportation. This partnership aims to link energy use with nationwide efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A crucial aspect of this initiative is the development of a Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system to provide data for assessing greenhouse gas emission reductions. This data will guide policy decisions at regional and national levels, ensuring that the agricultural sector advances in both production efficiency and environmental impact reduction. Energy conservation and renewable energy adoption are seen as pivotal tools in reducing costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
The eight organizations involved will work together to disseminate knowledge, promote efficient energy use, and monitor operations under the five-year cooperation framework. This effort seeks to integrate "energy, agriculture, and environment," steering Thai agriculture towards low-carbon practices, improving production efficiency, and achieving national greenhouse gas reduction targets.