Back

April 29, 2026

The Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) and the Rice Department agreed to strengthen collaboration to support national policy, advance agricultural standards, and implement pilot initiatives on sustainable rice production to enhance the global competitiveness of Thailand’s rice sector.

Bangkok, Thailand – 23 April 2026

The Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) and the Rice Department of Thailand convened a strategic meeting to strengthen collaboration on sustainable rice development, policy support, and future operational initiatives aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of Thai rice in global markets. The meeting was joined by Peter McAllister, Executive Director of SRP, and Kanlak Waritwaranont, Managing Director of SRPs, along with senior directors and technical officials from both organizations.

The discussion covered four key areas of cooperation: strengthening collaboration pathways between SRP and the Rice Department, exploring SRP’s potential role in supporting national rice policy, identifying future operational directions, and reaffirming the Rice Department’s role as an active member of SRP since joining the platform in 2012. The meeting reflected a shared commitment to advancing sustainable rice development in Thailand through strengthened institutional collaboration.

During the meeting, SRP presented evidence-based insights and practical examples demonstrating the impact of sustainable rice practices. This included research conducted by the Faculty of Economics at Khon Kaen University, which showed that farmers adopting SRP standards experienced increased income compared to conventional farming practices. SRP also highlighted the recent introduction of SRP-verified and SRP-labelled rice products into the Thai market by private sector partners in late 2025, signaling growing market recognition of sustainably produced rice.

Both parties aligned on several priority areas for practical collaboration. These include supporting the advancement of Thai Agricultural Standards (TAS) in coordination with relevant authorities, promoting traceability systems to enhance the credibility and transparency of Thai rice, and identifying pilot areas where farmers are ready to adopt sustainable rice practices to create added value along the supply chain. These efforts are consistent with SRP’s core objectives of improving farmers’ livelihoods, reducing environmental impacts, and strengthening access to sustainable rice markets.

Looking ahead, the Rice Department and SRP agreed to further explore structured collaboration at the national level, including the potential establishment of a Thailand SRP platform or coordination unit to strengthen coordination among public and private stakeholders and accelerate implementation. As an immediate next step, both organizations will organize follow-up technical discussions to advance pilot implementation, including coordination on a proposed project in Surin Province, and strengthen joint communication initiatives to support long-term collaboration and reinforce the global competitiveness of Thailand’s rice sector.

By Thanaporn Thammawongsa