Resource and Tool: App Tech: Poverty Alleviation Tool For Pattani
Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus, has been making significant strides in addressing poverty through technology by launching the “App Tech for Pattani” project. This initiative applies appropriate technology to tackle poverty issues in Pattani province, aiming to increase income and improve the quality of life for local communities. The project has developed various technologies, including a scrubber system to capture smoke, a saltwater soil conditioner, and an energy-efficient biomass stove, all designed for effective use in agriculture and small industries. Emphasizing knowledge transfer to the community, the project aims for sustainable development and hopes to serve as a model for using technology to solve social problems in other areas.
The project aimed at alleviating poverty at Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus, recently held a kickoff event to present appropriate technologies for poverty alleviation in Pattani province under the theme “App Tech for Pattani: Ready-to-Use Technology.” Supported by funding from the Office of the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), Dr. Petchdao Tohmina, advisor to the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, presided over the opening ceremony alongside Associate Professor Dr. Karnnika Sahakaro, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology and project leader; Assistant Professor Dr. Aruneewan Buaniew, Vice President for Research and Social Engagement at Pattani Campus and chair of the poverty alleviation research project.
Dr. Petchdao Tohmina stated that Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus plays a crucial role in driving knowledge into communities and supporting career development through easily accessible technology. This collaboration between government agencies, educational institutions, and civil society represents a significant achievement. The initiative aims to utilize science and technology to enhance community potential and create sustainable livelihoods in the southern border provinces, targeting at least 150 households in Pattani with an expected 20% increase in household income from these technologies while creating social opportunities for local residents. Ten technologies are all designed to fit local contexts andsuitable for practical use in households and communities. The “App Tech for Pattani” project marks an important step in applying science, technology, and innovation to concretely address poverty by focusing on creating appropriate tools and technologies that enhance work efficiency, produce quality outputs, and increase community income.
Led by Assistant Professor Dr. Aruneewan Buaniew with various partner networks, this initiative has elevated the poverty alleviation model using appropriate technology within strategic research areas to enhance household economies, community economies, and overall economic conditions in the southern border provinces while emphasizing sustainable self-reliance.
Aforementioned, the project has selected ten appropriate technologies designed to address poverty issues and improve local living standards with an emphasis on practical applicability at household and community levels. Technologies include:
- A scrubber system for capturing smoke and enhancing household fish roasting efficiency.
- A sweet saline soil conditioner specific to Pattani.
- An energy-efficient biomass stove tailored for households.
- A solar drying system combined with heat from other sources.
- Animal feed production management technology including grinders, mixers, and pelletizers.
- Multi-purpose animal feed shredders that enhance production efficiency and promote livestock product marketing throughout the value chain.
- Lime production from shellfish for animal feed with technology transfer to target households.
- High-value agricultural product management technology with knowledge transfer to target households.
- Soil-less cultivation systems powered by solar energy for cherry tomato production with technology transfer.
- A model using fermented food technology to boost community economies.
Dr. Karnnika further emphasized that this project focuses on developing technologies aligned with community needs aiming to increase incomes of poor households by at least 20% while creating social mobility opportunities for around 150 households or approximately 750 individuals in Pattani province. The project’s strength lies in community involvement in developing and applying these technologies which ensures they meet actual user needs and can be sustainably expanded upon.
