To foster international cooperation and advance low-carbon sustainable agriculture, a delegation from the NCYU Low-Carbon Agriculture Cooperation Team visited the Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University (CMU) from June 17 to 21. The three-member team included Prof. Wen-Lii Huang and Associate Prof. Yu-Chien Tseng of the Department of Agronomy, and Director Hsuan-Wien Chen of the Division of International Cooperation, Office of International Affairs. Over five days of professional exchange and field study, the two institutions held detailed discussions on practical cooperation for low-carbon and sustainable agriculture.
During this visit, the second “NCYU-CMU Low-Carbon Agriculture Cooperation Meeting” was convened, focusing on carbon accounting methodologies for crops such as rice and coffee, low-carbon farming techniques, and carbon budgeting models for under-forest agriculture. Through site visits and discussions, researchers from both institutions shared strategies and solutions to challenges encountered under varying geographic and agricultural conditions. This laid a solid foundation for collaboration in developing effective tools to measure carbon emissions and sequestration.
Commissioned by King Rama IX in 1970 to develop agriculture in northern Thailand’s mountainous areas, CMU’s Faculty of Agriculture has since accumulated extensive expertise and experience in mountain coffee cultivation, highland precision agriculture, and sustainable forest use. These experiences provided valuable insights for the NCYU delegation. During the visit, the NCYU delegation was cordially received by representatives from the Faculty of Agriculture at Chiang Mai University, including Dean Prof. Daruni Naphrom; Associate Dean Assoc. Prof. Tonapha Pusadee; Prof. Chanakan Promuthai, Director of the Lanna Rice Research Center; and Asst. Prof. Teerapong Saowaphak of the Department of Highland Agriculture. The NCYU delegation conducted on-site visits to the Chiang Mai Mountain Experimental Station, the Highland Coffee Germplasm Center, the Forest Carbon Monitoring Station, and the High-Mountain Tea Plantation. These visits offered firsthand insight into agricultural practices in northern Thailand and the practical wisdom of local farmers in sustainable agriculture.
Prof. Wen-Lii Huang, coordinator of the NCYU Low-Carbon Agriculture Cooperation Team, noted that CMU boasts extensive resources in low-carbon rice cultivation, highland precision agriculture research, and experimental field sites, offering valuable experience and insights for Taiwan’s transition to sustainable agriculture. In the years to come, both institutions will establish regular exchanges and collaborations, including faculty and student exchanges, field surveys, joint projects, and capacity-building workshops. These efforts aim to nurture professionals in sustainable agriculture equipped with global vision and practical skills, fostering development in low-carbon agriculture on both sides.
Hsuan-Wien Chen, Director of the Division of International Cooperation, Office of International Affairs, NCYU, and Associate Dean Tonapha Pusadee of the Faculty of Agriculture at CMU, finalized the cooperation agreement and outlined plans for internships and research projects, opening a new chapter in bilateral exchange.
This visit laid a solid
foundation for sustained collaboration between NCYU and Chiang Mai University.
It not only broadened NCYU’s international academic engagement, but also
underscored Taiwan’s responsibility and contribution in tackling global climate
change through agriculture. Moving forward, the two universities will continue
to strengthen their partnership and actively advance shared strategies for
regional low-carbon governance and ecological production, setting new
milestones in the pursuit of sustainable agriculture.
Photo 1: NCYU Low-Carbon Agriculture Cooperation
Team and staff from the Department of Highland Agriculture, Faculty of
Agriculture, Chiang Mai University.
Photo 3: Associate Prof. Yu-Chien Tseng from the Department of Agronomy, NCYU, shared research on the carbon footprint of Taiwan's coffee carbon.
Photo 4: Dr. Montri Sanwangsri from the Faculty of Agriculture, CMU, introduced the setup and operation of a greenhouse gas flux tower in a coffee plantation to NCYU's Prof. Wen-Lii Huang.