Promoting hemp as a future crop of Thailand

Abstract

The National Strategy (2018-2037) is the country’s first national long-term strategy developed pursuant to the Constitution. It shall be pursued to ensure that the country achieves its vision of becoming “a developed country with security, prosperity and sustainability in accordance with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy” with the ultimate goal being all Thai people’s happiness and well-being.

Bio-Circular-Green Economic Model or BCG has been introduced by the research community and promoted by the Thai government as a new economic model for inclusive and sustainable growth. The BCG Strategic Plan will focus on 4 sectors, namely 1. food and agriculture, 2. medical and wellness, 3. bioenergy, biomaterial and biochemical, and 4. tourism and creative economy. The model also conforms with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is also intended to align with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) which is also the key principle of Thailand’s social and economic development. Food and agriculture, in the view of Thai government is the important tools for the BCG model based on Thailand’s strengths.

This research will look at hemps as the vital raw material for Thailand’s future food industry comparing with soybeans, which are the major raw material for plants base foods in Thailand in the context of BCG model and also look at hemps for other industry to utilize the crop, presents to the concern authorities to promote the large scales cultivation of hemp which will be huge interest of the country substantially.