Fishing with ARDA

“I dream of making ARDA recognised as an organisation supporting agricultural research in the country. When people think about agricultural research, I want them to think of us,” he says.

Set in up in 2003 with Bt3 billion in funding from the Asian Development Bank, ARDA is a public organisation under the Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives Ministry. 

Peeradet, 57, was appointed director last August, coming to the position from the Thailand Research Fund where he worked as deputy director.

“Working here will benefit the country more than my previous job, I believe.”

A graduate of Kasetsart University who earned his PhD in Horticulture from Oregon State University in the US, Peeradet says the main reason that the agency’s name is not familiar to the public is because up until know, its research work has been limited to the commercial sector. He has therefore expanded the unit’s research to cover agricultural research for the common good as well as to complement national policies. 

“Before I came to the office, 100 per cent of our budget was used for commercial research. I’ve redistributed it, with 60 per cent going to commercial research, 30 per cent for research that will benefit the public and the remaining 10 per cent for national policy.”

In his view, the government’s policy on agriculture should be based on research, especially as research is a vital tool in evaluating the success or otherwise of policies. 

Another of ADRA’s responsibilities is to further the knowledge of the ministry’s personnel and Peeradet is achieving this by sending them overseas to attend short training courses.

“I believe short term training is better than degree courses. It requires a lower investment and gives a quick result,” he says. 

He’s also overhauled the agency rules to make the unit’s work less rigid and fairer to its partners. 

“In the past, all intellectual property produced by ARDA and its partners belonged to ARDA only and obviously our partners were not happy with that. I’ve changed that so it belongs to both sides and we have to share the profits.”

The rules regarding income from research projects have also been changed. In the past, any unit joining an ARDA-supported project had to return the capital before it could claim any profits. 

“And with the slow rate at which the wheels of government turn, some researchers might die before getting any profit,” he says with a laugh. “Under the new rules, the first tranche of income goes to the researchers or the institution that cooperate with us. That will encourage researchers.”

One of ARDA’s most recent research projects revolves around the feeding of the brown spotted grouper, one of the largest coral dwelling fish and considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. 

The research team invited the media to Phang-nga and Phuket to learn about this feeding project, which forms part of the agency’s commercial agricultural research.

The Department of Fisheries received Bt28 million from ARDA for the five-year project, which was initiated in 2010 and focuses on the brown spotted grouper, a fish native to the Persian Gulf. A much-prized fish because of its sweet taste, it sells for up to Bt1,000-Bt1,200 a kilogram, not least because it is a relatively rare catch.

In line with the long-term plan, once the project is turning a profit, ARDA and the Department of Fisheries will invite private sector to join the project.

Right now, though, the department cannot provide enough fingerlings for farmers to cultivate, so the help of the private sector is needed. But the survival rate of the fingerlings is low and private fish farmers are reluctant to join the scheme. ARDA is currently trying to find a “formula” that increases the survival rate. “Then we will pass on the knowledge to them. They won’t have to take any risks because we’ll have studied the situation and found the answers.”

Once the problems have been ironed out, the private sector will provide young brown spotted groupers to fishermen for feeding and for sale while the Department of Fisheries will provide the breeders, adding them to the natural system.

In the meantime, the shortage of brown spotted groupers will continue. But, as Peeradet points out, many people are interested in this obvious income generator. The fish is priced based on its length at of Bt10 per inch and should be 3-4 inches – or 85 days old – before fishermen can start feeding it for sale.

Peeradet’s first four-year term with the agency will end in 2015. By then, ARDA should be a household name.