Thailand: Review of AFACI-RATES (IMPROVEMENT OF RURAL AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY EXTENSION SYSTEM IN ASIA) project implementation
Thailand is keen to enhance its production of chillies by following Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). The Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE) in Thailand through the AFACI-RATES project (2022-2025) has been implementing a project to identify, standardize and promote a package of practices in chilli cultivation through experimenting and integrating chill farming practices followed in Korea with the existing practices followed in Thailand. This is being tried in two of the Agricultural Learning Centres (ALCs) in two provinces, namely Phrae and Surin.
ALC is a learning center of agricultural production, management and marketing throughout the value chain to transfer agricultural services, appropriate information, and technologies to farmers. These 882 ALCs located in farmers’ farms across the country are model farmers having infrastructures related to agriculture such as demonstration fields and are willing to share their knowledge and expertise with neighbouring farmers. Several agencies are supporting the ALCs which is one of the main extension mechanisms through which new technologies are introduced in Thailand.
The RATES project in Thailand is also supported by researchers from the Kasetsart University who are developing and documenting the best practices in chill cultivation.
GFRAS through APIRAS is part of the RATES project. During 26-28 July 2025, Rasheed Sulaiman V, (Director, CRISP and PI of the project from GFRAS side); Ms Piyanan Boonsrang, (Agricultural Extensionist, Senior Professional level, Agricultural Extension Research and Development Division); and Ms Rattakorn Wuttiboon, (Foreign Relations Officer, Planning Division of DOAE) visited the ALC at Phrae Province managed by Mrs Preeya Udkhanjing (Nong Muangkhai District). The project will develop an extension manual on chilli cultivation and a video which will be available by the end of this year.
Field Visits to RATES Project Sites in Bhutan (April 14–18, 2025)
A team comprising Mr. Sunghwan Yun and Mr. Sung Jun Hong from RDA, Korea, and Dr. Rasheed Sulaiman V (PI-RATES, GFRAS), visited Bhutan to review RATES project interventions. During the visit, they toured project sites and met with key officials directly and indirectly involved in the implementation of the RATES project. The team also visited the Agriculture Research and Development Centre, Bajo, and interacted with researchers on Climate-Smart Agriculture Technology, as well as with staff at the National Plant Protection Centre (NPPC).
The team met with the Hon’ble Sonam Lyonpo, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock. The Minister expressed his gratitude for the support rendered by the AFACI-RATES project and urged the visiting team to continue supporting the Ministry, particularly for Bhutan's organic agricultural initiatives through market exploration and capacity building for Agricultural Extension Professionals.
The AFACI-RATES project has supported the establishment of an Organic Input Production Unit at the National Centre for Organic Agriculture (NCOA), which is currently in the final stages of completion. Production is scheduled to begin within a month. The team also engaged in discussions on other AFACI-funded research activities (e.g., tomato and chili) with researchers at the National Plant Protection Centre.
The project has completed reports of two baseline technology adoption studies, which are published on the Ministry of Agriculture website and available on the APIRAS site:
(a) Report on the Technology Adoption Survey—Western Region Click Here to View the PDF
(b) Report on Adoption of Labour Saving Technologies in Southern Region Click Here to View the PDF
A draft version of the Agriculture Extension Guideline is currently available and under review.
Higher Studies and Career Opportunities in Agri‑food Extension and Advisory in Canada -23 July 2025
Hosted by Agricultural Extension in South Asia (AESA) and the Asia-Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services Network (APIRAS) on July 23, 2025, this insightful panel discussion explores pathways for pursuing graduate education and building careers in agri-food extension and advisory services with a special focus on opportunities in Canada.
The session features in-depth discussions on academic programs, scholarships, and professional roles in agri-food systems across Canada, South Asia, and beyond. Speakers share their experiences navigating international education and contributing to sustainable agriculture and rural development through research, policy, and practice.
Watch the recording to gain valuable perspectives from:
Ataharul Chowdhury, Associate Professor and Global Extension Leader (Canada)
Edward Kusi Asafo-Agyei, Policy Analyst and Future AgriFood Leader (Canada/Ghana)
Sultana Yeasmin, Senior Government Official and Inclusion Champion (Bangladesh)
Kamshajini Raveenthiran, Lecturer and Sustainable Agri-Food Advocate (Sri Lanka)
Special thanks to the organizing team at the Centre for Research on Innovation and Science Policy (CRISP): Dr. Rasheed Sulaiman V, Dr. D. Alagu Niranjan, Mr. Ayush Lal, Ms. Meenakshi S, Ms. Gayathri Lalu, and Mr. Anthony Christopher for their dedicated coordination.
Watch the webinar recording here
Regional Dialogue: Strengthening Capacities in AIS - Scaling the TAP (Tropical Agricultural Platform) Framework, 27 - 28 December 2024, Bangkok, Thailand
APAARI and APIRAS jointly organised this consultation with a diverse groups stakeholders from across the Asia-Pacific region, including government representatives, researchers, extensionists, policymakers, educators, and practitioners to (a) Reflect on the TAP-AIS (Agricultural Innovation Systems) project outcomesin the Asia-Pacific region, addressing regional gaps and lessons learned (b) Exchange insights on strengthening Agricultural Innovation Systems through policy alignment, institutional reforms, and capacity-building initiatives and (c)Co-develop a roadmap for scaling the TAP Frameworktowards 2030, tailored to regional needs. The insights and experiences shared by the participants will go into developing the TAP Road Map 2030. From the APIRAS side, Suvothong Namvong (MELA/APIRAS Chair), Botir Dosov (CACFRAS/APIRAS Vice Chair), Rasheed Sulaiman V and Nimisha Mittal (CRISP/APIRAS Secretariat), Mahesh Jaishi (AESA Focal Point, Nepal) and Marut Jatiket (MELA Focal Point) participated.
Participation in the One-Day Conference on 'Solutions and Best Practices for Improving Crop Sector Development in Mongolia'
On 27 November 2024, the German-Mongolian Cooperation Project on Sustainable Agriculture (DMKNL), Phase 4, organized a one-day conference titled “Solutions and Best Practices for Improving Crop Sector Development in Mongolia” as part of its project conclusion. During this phase, the project supported the organizational and strategic development of professional associations in crop and vegetable farming and enhanced services for farmers provided by the Research and Development Centre (RDC), Mongolian National Crop Farmers Association (MNCFA), Mongolian Vegetable Growers Association (MVGA), and its regional associations.
The conference aimed to develop recommendations for strengthening extension services, leveraging experiences and best practices. Dr. Rasheed Sulaiman V, focal point of the Asia-Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services Network (APIRAS), participated in the event and emphasized the need for expanding the scope of extension services beyond mere technology dissemination. Key points included identifying new capacities required at different levels, strategies for their development, and opportunities for international collaboration through the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS). Dr. Rasheed also proposed the establishment of the Mongolian Country Forum under the Central Asia and the Caucasus Forum for Rural Advisory Services (CAC-FRAS) and the Asia-Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services Network (APIRAS).
On 28 November 2024, Dr. Rasheed held discussions on establishing the Country Forum (CF) with the Mongolian Farmers’ Association for Rural Development (MFARD). Meetings were also conducted with the assistant FAO representative for Mongolia to explore potential support for the CF and with the MoFALI/RDC team implementing the AFACI-RATES project in Mongolia.
APIRAS extends its special acknowledgments to Dr. Erdenebolor Baast (Deputy Team Leader, DMKNL, and Member, RATES Project) for the invitation and to Dr. Yesun-Erdene (Director General, Department of Crop Sector Policy Coordination and Implementation, MoFALI), Dr. Turmandakh (Executive Director, MFARD), and Ms. Nandintsetseg Sookhuu (Senior Officer, Crop Production, Innovation, and Extension, RDC/MoFALI, and Principal Investigator, RATES Project) for their invaluable support for this initiative.



























