Farmers are revered across the globe because of their critical contribution to food security. The rapid technological advancements are causing rapid changes in various industries leading to digital transformation. For instance, the next generation is gravitating towards sectors where the new digital tools can be applied. As a result, the prestige and esteem that was once characterised by farming as an occupation have significantly dwindled. However, Suparatana Bencharongkul has successful juggled between being a lifestyle influencer as the daughter of a billionaire and pioneering revolution in agriculture. She has exceeded expectations of the society by making significant contributions in agriculture despite the glamorous life she experiences with her super-rich family.
Most farmers in Thailand use traditional farming techniques that do not yield the expected results based on the potential of the land. For instance, farmers utilise guesswork and poor estimations when undertaking vital agricultural activities like applying fertiliser. However, Bencharongkul has pioneered the digitalisation of agriculture to change the status quo in the conventional farming practices. The daughter of a telecom billionaire, Boonchai Bencharongkul has been instrumental in leading the adoption of technology to revolutionise agriculture. For instance, she has been at the forefront of digital transformation in the agricultural sector, where she leads the innovation and integration of technologies. The digital tools enable stakeholders such as farmers to enhance the level of output by creating operations efficiency within the agriculture value chain.
Farmers as the Foundation of Any Society
Bencharongkul passion in agriculture developed because of her family background. She was raised in a family that embraces the love for farming. Her father believed that agriculture is the most critical occupation because farmers feed the world. The family perceived farmers as essential persons for society to grow. Thus, the family has held agriculture with high esteem which has influenced Bencharongkul to pioneer revolution in agriculture by embedding advanced technologies into the conventional farming practices leading to the rapid transformation of the industry. She relates her keen interest in agriculture to her childhood and the role that her father played in advocating for farmers to continue making the world a better place for humanity through food security.
Efforts in Digital Transformation in Agriculture
Agriculture is an economic powerhouse for Thailand. For instance, the country contributed to 22.7% of the total rice exported across the globe. Hence, the sector requires rapid transformation through the adoption of technology and innovation to improve the level of output. Bencharongkul has used her interest in agriculture and background in IT as the general manager of Rakbankerd Co. Ltd to spur growth in agriculture by making it more profitable. She has embedded the ideas of agriculture and technology to develop different initiatives such as Farmer Info Application, Sabuymarket and Farmmanyanam. The digital platforms enable farmers and other stakeholders to interact and adopt new technologies in their farming initiatives. Bencharongkul is also developing other digital tools to address challenges that derail the performance of the agricultural sector to boost profitability for farmers.
Bencharonkul has led spirited efforts towards increasing rapid adoption of technology to foster production efficiency. She has been partnering with various agricultural experts and technologists to develop new applications, platforms and tools to make advancement in agriculture and improve the value of a farm produce. She is working with farmers to automate different processes in agriculture to enhance production. Bencharongkul has pioneered the use of objective, data and evidence-based perspective to agriculture in Thailand. She is collaborating with farmers and experts to ensure that they revolutionise agriculture by leveraging quality data to make informed decisions during farming.
Bencharongkul’s persistent contribution to technology and innovation has led to digital transformation in agriculture. For example, she has launched disruptive mobile apps and services that assist farmers in optimising production to increase outputs and revenue. The technologies also promote the quality and quantity of agricultural products leading to improved welfare of farmers and food security. Bencharonkul is also revolutionising agriculture by pioneering the introduction of disruptive technologies such as predictive analytics, artificial intelligence, new farming approaches and disease control techniques. The technologies aim at facilitating the efficient utilisation of resources such as water and fertilisers. The digital transformation efforts also encourage sustainable farming practices to reduce carbon footprint. Smart farming initiatives are causing rapid changes in the agricultural environment. The agri-tech revolution of agriculture is also expected to reduce the gap between large-scale and small-scale farmers to promote the sector.
Use of Social Media to Facilitate Digital Transformation in Agriculture
Bencharonkul has utilised social media to create awareness about the role of digital disruption in agriculture. Social media has been significant in sharing information to stakeholders such as farmers about the need to integrate technologies to improve agriculture now and in the future. Bencharonkul’s interest in promoting digital integration in agriculture through her social media platform is likely to shape Thailand’s agricultural sector. For example, she showcases her lifestyle and passion for agriculture to reach out and educate people on the digital opportunities that can transform agriculture. Her content in social media platforms inspire people on how to embrace advanced technology to improve agriculture. Thus, her social media influence is likely to revolutionise agriculture in Thailand to facilitate sustainable food production for the benefit of all members of society.
