Royal Irrigation Department Partners with UNDP to Drive Farmers Toward Digital Agriculture Using Water Management Apps and Online Sales
Thai farmers in three central provinces are learning digital agriculture skills through a Royal Irrigation Department and UNDP initiative, with training on water management apps and online sales platforms reaching nearly 1,250 participants
The Royal Irrigation Department is advancing Thai farmers into the digital age by partnering with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The initiative offers training workshops on climate technology and data to help farmers cope with weather volatility and improve water management and agricultural production efficiency.
This program is part of a broader initiative titled "Building Climate Change Adaptation Capacity in Thailand's River Basins through Efficient Water Management and Sustainable Agriculture." The training covers 22 subdistricts in Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, and Uthai Thani provinces, enabling farmers to use digital tools for planting decisions. A total of 1,249 farmers participated—280 men and 969 women.
The training is divided into three phases. The first phase, running from September 8 to October 15, 2025, focuses on Internet of Things (IoT) technology, allowing farmers to connect data from measurement devices like water level sensors to online systems in real time. For example, farmers can link water meters to the WaterUnity app to monitor water levels in their areas, enabling precise water planning and reducing forecasting errors.
The second phase, from October 16, 2025 to January 16, 2026, provides hands-on training with the WaterUnity app—a smart water management platform developed by the Royal Irrigation Department in partnership with King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi. This application collects water and agricultural data, helping farmers select optimal planting periods and efficiently calculate required water volumes.
The final phase, from January 26 to February 27, 2026, focuses on expanding market channels for farmers through social media platforms like TikTok, which has 1.9 billion global users and 44 million Thai users. Farmers will learn account setup, opening online stores, product photography, creating short promotional videos, and using Zoom for customer and business communications.
The Royal Irrigation Department emphasizes that equipping farmers with digital technology and climate data skills will enhance their capacity to adapt to intensifying climate change. This transition from traditional farming to "smart farming" driven by real data will increase incomes, reduce risks, and provide long-term security for Thai farmers.
