Kasetsart University Plants Rice to Honor Thai Agricultural Heritage
Kasetsart University planted 13.5 rai of Rice Berry—a nutrient-rich purple rice variety—in Nakhon Pathom on August 7 with over 5,000 participants, marking the 21st year of the Mother's Day ceremony honoring agricultural heritage and sustain
Kasetsart University's Kamphaengphaet campus in Nakhon Pathom Province held its Mother's Day rice-planting ceremony on August 7, 2025, with Arthawut Phuengniam, Deputy Governor of Nakhon Pathom, as the official opener. The event attracted over 5,000 participants from government, private, and local administrative sectors, reflecting collective commitment to preserving Thai agricultural heritage while advancing sustainable farming knowledge.
The ceremony began with a tribute ritual and rice-blessing ceremony before participants planted Rice Berry rice—a dark purple variety with high antioxidant content developed by the university's Rice Science Center—across 13.5 rai of farmland. This represented the 21st consecutive year of the project, honoring the late Queen Sirikit and Mother's Day while integrating university agricultural research with traditional Thai farming wisdom in line with the philosophy of sufficiency economy and new theory farming.
Rice Berry was selected for its exceptional nutritional value and international recognition as a research application with genuine social and economic impact. The project integrated cooperation among the university, provincial and local authorities, educational institutions, private entities, and communities to preserve farming traditions, strengthen farmer livelihoods, and promote environmentally friendly agriculture. The university also emphasized research into rice varieties resilient to climate change, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation while enhancing food security in alignment with Thailand's transition toward a low-carbon society and sustainable development goals.
