Gen Chatchai Sarikulya, the minister of agriculture and cooperatives, revealed that one of the most important missions of the ministry annually is the Royal Rainmaking Project.
For the past six decades, the project has maintained evergreen forests and helped agricultural areas. It also provides water for all of Thailand's dams with the belief that where there's water, there's forest and where there's forest, there's life.
Drought causes big problems for many people and has a strong impact on natural disasters, which seem to become more deadly every year. Therefore, the preservation of natural resources is very important for everyone's well-being.
The Agriculture Ministry is seeking the cooperation of both private and government sectors to preserve forests, prevent any further destruction of them and rehabilitate them.
Since all forest areas are not always accessible, the ministry has integrated a project called "Scatter the Seeds" with units in all areas, such as the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation, National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Royal Forest Department, Royal Irrigation Department and more.
"In order to honour the works of King Rama IX, which have the main focus on irrigation, agriculture and rural development, and the present King Rama X's 65th birthday, the ministry, together with government and private sectors as well as many volunteer citizens in local areas, is building a strong network to persevere and rehabilitate forest areas that are sources for water for the benefit of their communities," Gen Chatchai said.
Surasee Kittimonthon, director-general of the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation, said the "Scatter the Seeds" project is among several that will help rehabilitate forest areas.
It will add more trees to forests alongside the Royal Rainmaking Project. The seeds will grow 14 types of big trees.
The project will be launched in the northeastern, central and upper southern regions of Thailand in the first stage. The seeds will be scattered from aircraft used by the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation every day from Thursday until the end of September.
