Thailand Rice Science Research Hub of Knowledge (Hub of Rice)
Focusing on building domestic and international cooperation networks for research and innovation in rice breeding towards practical utilization.
Thailand Rice Science Research Hub of Knowledge (Hub of Rice) aims to build domestic and international cooperation networks to bring rice breeding research and innovation to practical use. It operates to gather knowledge and innovation in rice breeding, linking researchers and experts from domestic and international sectors, consisting of 60 organizations and 50 institutes from 21 countries, to develop knowledge in rice breeding and rice product processing by integrating various disciplines through the cooperation of key rice research institutions. Activities of the Hub of Knowledge:
Hub of Rice
4 Missions
1) Frontier Research
2) Rice Breeding
3) Product Development
4) Capacity Building
Frontier Research
Supporting the creation of knowledge and in-depth studies in rice science, such as biochemical properties or physiological characteristics. Bio-informatics studies applicable to rice breeding. Developing database systems and knowledge repositories for rice science and rice germplasm databases for rice breeding in Thailand.
Product Development
Supporting the further development of rice products to preserve nutritional value of newly developed rice varieties, meeting current consumer demands for health, and promoting the use of new rice varieties in industry to add value and worth to Thai rice.
Rice Breeding
Supporting ‘breeding-by-design’ ready for climate change, with high yield and nutritional value. Developing varieties for industrial raw materials or processing. Utilizing local rice germplasm in breeding. Developing specific varieties for different consumer groups (e.g., kidney disease, diabetes) and for animal feed industries.
Capacity Building
Promoting the creation of national and international networks of researchers and rice breeders. Organizing training to transfer knowledge at all levels. Organizing national and international rice research conferences. Building a database of experts, researchers, and rice breeders in the country.
From the Center’s 4 key goals, this will lead to the creation of significant domestic and international rice networks for the development of Thai rice throughout the supply chain and to elevate the competitiveness of Thai rice on the global stage.
Objectives
1. To be a center of cooperation and a network for domestic and international researchers and rice breeders in developing rice varieties precisely and rapidly using modern technology to increase the capability of Thai rice varieties.
2. To be a rice center in supporting and driving the utilization of research and innovation at both national and international levels.
3. To create a database of knowledge on rice research in Thailand and a database of rice varieties for further enhancing production potential and processing to add value.
4. To be a center connecting the needs of farmers to the development of rice varieties that yield maximum benefit, and to be an incubator for modern technology for rice scholars, breeders, farmers, and transfer to entrepreneurs.
