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Thailand is an important food production site for the world. Increasing entrepreneur capacity with innovations aimed at meeting global demand trends is necessary for current business competition. Today, Innovation Thailand is introducing you to Mrs.Anong Paijitprapapon, President of the National Food Institute, to talk about the Institute’s innovation policies for enhancing the competitive capacity of Thai at food the global level as a member of the Innovation Thailand Alliance.

Innovation’s Importance and National Food Institute Innovation Policies

In the Next Normal era, creating business innovations is essential. Global development directions in the agricultural food processing industry place importance on sustainable development such as sustainable production and consumption, climate change management, diversity conservation, cooperation for development and minimal disparities. Therefore, Thailand’s development policies focus on developing a Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG Economy) requiring the use of science, technology and innovation to improve competitive capacity.

The National Food Institute recognizes the importance of enhancing food entrepreneur capacity in developing safe food products through creativity based on traditional Thai wisdom for commercialization and distribution. The National Food Institute has standardized laboratory services, food products and development with modern machines technology and pilot plants. Moreover, The National Food Institute supports entrepreneurs to innovate their food industry with good facilities along with technology, fully equipped with qualified human resources, improving personnel in the field of innovation and transferring technology, and co-operating with allied organizations such as regional universities to connect technology and innovation for easy access by entrepreneurs.

Current Thai Food Innovations

Thai food entrepreneurs are currently creating innovative products to meet consumer demands. Most of the entrepreneurs are large entrepreneurs with capacity for investments in technology such as development of functional food products with a focus on health benefits, emotion-healthy food products, plant-based protein products and healthier food choices, including specific food products for vegan and keto diets, etc. However, small entrepreneurs or community enterprises continue to lack connections or access to technology sources. Furthermore, these enterprises lack knowledge and sources of capital to further innovation concepts. This has prevented small entrepreneurs or community enterprises from making significant advances internationally. Therefore, the government agencies involved should continually support and promote identity along with quality control meeting international standards.

The Innovation Thailand Platform Can Play a Role in Pushing Thailand’s Innovations

The Innovation Thailand platform is an instrument that will enable Thailand’s food industry to grow in international markets and create sustainability from implementing technology and innovations in the production sector to create value for agricultural products, cut costs, reduce waste and generate income for entrepreneurs, community enterprises, farmer groups and increase local employment. The Innovation Thailand Alliance can enable Thailand’s food industry to compete at the international level because the Alliance links the agencies involved in the government sector and the private sector, allowing old entrepreneurs and new investors to have access to innovations and innovate more quickly.