On 9 August 2023 at 10:00 a.m., at Kampol Adulwit Conference Room on the 2nd floor of the Golden Jubilee Administration and Information Center Building. Associate Professor Dr. Kampanat Pensupar, Vice President for International Affairs presided over to welcome and attended the MoU signing ceremony (Hybrid format) between Kasetsart University and the Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA) and the Thai Seed Trade Association (THASTA); along with Miss Prattana Thirakiettikun, Head of the International Collaboration and Networking Section; and personnel from the International Affairs Division joined to welcome the executives from the Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA) and the Thai Seed Trade Association (THASTA). The executives from both organizations consisted of Dr. Kanokwan Chodchoey, APSA Executive Director; Dr. Manish Patel, APSA President; Dr. Shivendra Bajaj, APSA Technical Advisor; Dr. Boonyanath Nathwong, THASTA; Mr. Trithip Yusin, THASTA Manager; and the APSA Secretariat Team on the occasion of their visit to Kasetsart University to sign an MoU agreement.

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The ceremony commenced with speeches by Dr. Manish Patel, APSA President and Dr. Boonyanat Nathwong, President of the Thai Seed Trade Association (THASTA). Both said that today's signing of the MoU University Connect Program between the three organizations will lead to fruitful and mutually beneficial academic cooperation in developing skills and knowledge for future paths in Seed sector in the Asia-Pacific region. The signing of the MoU University Connect Program will bring together experts to collaborate on both academic and qualitative aspects. We all hope to face many challenges in the future that will require cooperation in seed production and post-harvest which will benefit Thai farmers and Thai seed industry.

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Later, Associate Professor Dr. Kampanat Pensupar, Vice President for International Affairs, Kasetsart University congratulated the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Kasetsart University and the Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA) and the Thai Seed Trade Association (THASTA), hoping that today's MoU signing will lead to create successful academic works and cooperation and create mutual benefits for all parties. Then, also emphasizing the part of creating business benefits for entrepreneurs, such as startups, which Kasetsart University nowadays operates in order to create channels for farmers as well.

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The meeting discussed possible collaboration under MoU University Connect Program between the Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA) and the Thai Seed Trade Association (THASTA), and Kasetsart University. The preamble collaboration of APSA, THASTA, and KU mutually desire to promote sustainable agriculture and exchange information for the training initiative and capacity-building activities to develop the seed sector in the Asia-Pacific region. All organizations agree to the effect that 1. Collaboration is beneficial in achieving overall program success and useful in helping to meet the stated goals of the bodies; 2. They have already established collaborative linkages with other regional, international, and non-governmental organizations, international research centers, and centers of higher learning and research throughout the world; 3. They desire to increase their existing knowledge and skill base; and 4. They wish to develop mutually beneficial processes of cooperation and exchange.

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In addition, Dr. Shivendra Bajaj, Technical Advisor presented APSA activities and MoU University Connect currently cooperate with 17 universities around the world and with Kasetsart University, such as job placement/hiring students/ internships, trade fairs, team building for working with faculties for universities, corporate training i.e. promoting talent building for organizations by industry experts every year, course curriculum, research collaboration proposals, sponsoring training programs with universities, academy program as E-Learning platform – An opportunity to collaborate with international organizations on seeds, etc.

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Then, Dr. Kanokwan Chodchoey, APSA Executive Director summarized the above cooperation issues which will lead to the promotion of joint education and research projects  as well as cooperation activities between Kasetsart University and the Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA) and the Thai Seed Trade Association (THASTA) that will occur in the future, such as proposing a conference of students and lecturers to share knowledge, exchange of faculty’s staff in teaching and joint research, internship, collaboration in academic conferences, etc.

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In summary, all organizations are pleased to support the implementation of cooperation in the aforementioned, especially in academic and research exchange, development of knowledge of personnel, and promoting the exchange of students and faculty members. Today’s signing of the MoU will lead to very close cooperation between KU and APSA, and THASTA soon.