Thailand's Village Fund Office Launches Nationwide Agricultural Skills Program

CHANTHABURI, Thailand, Nov. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Village and Urban Community Fund Office (VF) has launched a multi-region agricultural skills program with the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA) and the King Rama IX Agricultural Museum (KRAM). The "Four-Region Professional Agricultural Skills Development Project" focuses on full value-chain training to raise product quality, improve processing, and increase local incomes.

The program opened with a hands-on course in Chanthaburi Province on "Mapeed Orange: From Cultivation to Value-Added Products." More than 130 participants, including Village Fund executives and local farmers, attended the session. Mr. Charnkit Triratananont, Director of the National Village and Urban Community Fund Office, opened the program and said Village Funds must do more than provide credit.

"Village Funds must become active mechanisms for community development," Triratananont said. "When members gain specialized skills and access to research-based methods, they can generate steadier income and reduce dependence on single crops or seasonal price swings. Our goal is practical capability that produces measurable economic results."

Operating under a memorandum of understanding among the three organizations, the project delivers intensive workshops covering production techniques, farm management, post-harvest handling, and processing methods. The approach is tailored to the main crops of each region.

After the Central Region pilot, the program will expand as follows:

• Central Region (Chanthaburi): Mapeed orange and durian — cultivation, quality improvement, and value-added products.
• Northern Region (Sukhothai): Soybean and rice — production methods and processing.
• Northeastern Region (Loei): Coffee — integrated production, processing, and brand development.
• Southern Region (Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani): Mangosteen productivity, agricultural processing, and fisheries-related skills.

Each module targets crops that already have market recognition but face constraints in consistency, processing capacity, or price realization. The Chanthaburi course addresses the full chain for Mapeed orange, aiming to shift more of the crop from fresh sales into higher-value processed forms.

Thailand's Village Fund system, established more than two decades ago, provides community-level financing across thousands of villages and urban communities. The current initiative uses that existing network as a delivery platform for technical skills.

Mr. Charnkit Triratananont emphasized the practical focus. "The purpose is not simply to transfer knowledge," he said. "It is to enable farmers and communities to convert that knowledge into additional income streams, stronger livelihoods, and greater self-reliance."

Implementation will continue through successive regional training rounds, with follow-up support coordinated through the Village Fund network and the partner institutions.

About the National Village and Urban Community Fund Office
The Office oversees Thailand's community-level fund system, which provides financing and development support to villages and urban communities nationwide. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/villagefundFB

About the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA)
ARDA is a public organization responsible for agricultural research, technology development, and the transfer of practical knowledge to farmers and related stakeholders.

About the King Rama IX Agricultural Museum
The museum and its associated network promote agricultural learning, conservation of biological resources, and public education on farming practices and rural development.

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Image caption: Mr. Charnkit Triratananont (center) speaks with local officials.

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SOURCE National Village and Urban Community Fund