Teenage innovator revolutionizing Thai agriculture starting with dad’s durian farm

BANGKOK: In the lush farmlands of Thailand, a quiet revolution is taking place, spearheaded by an unlikely innovator: 17-year-old (Win) Chawinthorn Akkaratatta (pic).

This young visionary is bridging the gap between traditional farming practices in Thailand and modern technology, empowering small-scale farmers with the likes of both engineering and economics.

Win’s journey began on his father’s durian farm in Chanthaburi province. It was through his observation of local farmers applying home-made fertiliser haphazardly that he realised the inefficiencies and need for a scientific approach to farming.

“Agricultural practices in Thailand were really outdated… there was a real lack of education and precision farming knowledge in the whole sector. I noticed farmers who didn’t even check if both the soil and environmental conditions were suited for their crops, yet invested their entire life savings into planting them,” Win recalls.

“I thought, ‘Why didn’t they utilise more scientific practices?”

The startling discovery came after he spoke with the local farmers: the precision farming tools needed were only accessible through unfair and complicated contracts from large corporations.

Ready-to-use and user-friendly equipment was either unavailable in the market or unaffordable for small-scale farmers. Faced with these challenges, Win was determined to bring about the solution himself.

Although Win had no formal engineering background, he was inspired by how his family’s farm in Chanthaburi stood out from other local farms by embracing technology early on.

Motivated by this, Win took the initiative to research and analyse the precision farming equipment both from his family’s farm and also the ones owned by large conglomerates.

He then embarked on an ambitious project to develop a user-friendly and affordable version of that precision farming equipment.

“Going into this project, I had quite limited knowledge about the engineering involved,” he admits. “I had to self-teach myself along the way.”

As Win assembled the components, integrating sensors and technology to manage environmental conditions, he focused on optimizing inputs and increasing crop yields.

By experimenting with 3D modelling software and spending nights tackling the complexities of circuit design and programming, Win gradually refined his designs. To tackle challenges present the quipment’s user-friendliness, Win relied on online resources and sought guidance from experts at the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA).

Now, fitted with a newly designed custom circuit board, the equipment dubbed “TerraIncubator” was born and ready for distribution.

Through Win’s organization, precisionplantingproject.com (Precision Planting Project), the TerraIncubator began its distribution initially starting in Chanthaburi with the aim of empowering farmers with technology that was previously out of reach.

This project has grown and, to date, has already distributed 400+ boxes to farmers across Thailand, with funding support from NSTDA.

The impact has been significant. Farmers who once struggled with basic technology are now able to optimise their farming practices.

“Most of them had trouble even connecting to the internet,” Win notes, highlighting the technological leap these farmers are making.

Win’s innovations extend beyond hardware. He’s also the founder and lead developer of Thailand’s only formal Durian Rating System, the Durian Authority.

This rating system measures the sweetness, texture, along with other qualities of durians, allowing consumers to make informed choices and farmers to command higher prices for quality produce.

“We found that, on average, if farmers sell durians with reference to our rating system, they actually get around 32% higher prices,” Win explains, demonstrating the economic impact of his innovations.

At just 17, Win is already planning his next steps. He aims further explore the fields of economics and engineering abroad, learning from advanced farming and marketing practices to further elevate Thailand’s agricultural sector.

“I plan to explore the intersection of economics and engineering,” he says, envisioning a future where Thai farms can match the efficiency of their international counterparts while still maintaining Thailand’s unique qualities.

Win’s story is a testament to the power of curiosity, perseverance, and innovation. As he continues to bridge the gap between tradition and technology, Thailand’s agricultural sector stands to benefit from the fresh perspective of this young innovator.

From the farms of Chanthaburi, to the classrooms of Charterhouse in the United Kingdom, and soon to be the educational institutions abroad, (Win) Chawinthorn Akkrattatta is shaping a future in which technology and tradition coexist, promising a bountiful harvest for Thai agriculture while empowering Thai farmers. – The Nation/ANN