On Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 10.00 a.m. – 11.00 a.m. in meeting room on the 10th floor of the Kasetsart Golden Jubilee Administration and Information Center Building, Kasetsart University. Dr. Chongrak Wachrinrat, President of Kasetsart University along with Associate Professor Dr. Sutkhet Nakasathien, Vice President for Research and Creation, Associate Professor Dr. Apisit Songsasen, Dean of Faculty of Science, Associate Professor Dr. Arinthip Thamchaipenet, Vice-dean for Research and International Affairs, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University attended the online Kickoff Meeting, SATREPS project (Duckweed) along with presentation from the participants and researchers are as follows. Mr. Takahiro Morita, Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), G2 Duckweed/Microbes Holobionts (Ekraphan Kraichak), G4-1 Biofuel: Methane (Pairaya Choeisai), G4-2 Bioplastics (Rangrong Yoksan), G4-3 Animal Feed (Chanwit Kaewtapee), G4-4 Functional Food (Suvimol Charoensiddhi) G5 Waste Water Treatment & GHG (Chart Chiemchaisri), G6 Social Implementation (Metha Meetam), Followed by the Closing of the online Kickoff Meeting, SATREPS project (Duckweed) by Professor Masaaki Morikawa, Hokkaido University. The participants then took a photo together to commemorate.

  In this regard, Associate Professor Dr. Arinthip Thamchaipenet, Vice-dean for Research and International Affairs, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University has received a SATREPS funds 2020 on the topic Development of the Duckweed Holobionts Resource Values ​​towards BCG Economy together with Professor Masaaki Morikawa, Hokkaido University under the support of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). The project has been signed a Record of Discussion (R/D) between Kasetsart University and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Therefore, today’s online Kickoff Meeting, SATREPS on Duckweed project has been initiated.

  The project of cooperation for the development of duckweed in an integrated partnership between Kasetsart University with many universities and agencies under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation and research and development teams from Japan jointly developed the project in the 5-year operational period from July 2021 to June 2026 to create innovation and development of duckweed and microorganisms co-living with duckweed to lead to utilization in all aspects such as functional food, energy, wastewater treatment, and animal feed, which will be fully utilized for the benefit of farmers, the public and the private sector who are ready to develop technology to manage duckweed and its co-living microorganisms in the future.