The Establishment of DOAE
DOAE was established with the concept and the implementation as a single unit to take responsibility for promoting and disseminating agricultural knowledge and extension covering crops, livestock, and fisheries to farmers. It was the integration of agricultural extension work of the Office of Permanent Secretariat, Department of Agriculture, and Rice Department into one unit with authority to provide extension services and disseminate technical know-how on modern agriculture to widely reach farmers. The history of DOAE establishment is detailed as follows:
On 1 July B.E. 2498 (1955), at themeeting of Director-Generals from various departments of the Ministry of Agriculture, there was a discussion on the improvement of agricultural extension as one working unit to promote crops, livestock, and fisheries instead of separately promoting each crop or each livestock by different units. Initially, such a single unit was founded as the division of the Office of Permanent Secretary. Later, it was set up as the department.
On 11 January B.E. 2504 (1961), the Cabinet passed the resolution for the Ministry of Agriculture to consider the establishment of the Department/Office of agricultural extension as a central unit of the Ministry of Agriculture.
On 1 July B.E. 2509 (1966), it was named “Department of Agricultural Dissemination” by transferring agricultural extension functions from all units of the Ministry of Agriculture to this department. In addition, district and provincial officers were called “District/Provincial Agricultural Dissemination Officers”. However, after being considered by the Administration Advisory Board and submitted to the Cabinet, it was renamed to “Department of Agricultural Services” and its officials at a provincial level were retitled to “District / Provincial Official of Agriculture”. Then, the resolution of the Cabinet approved in principle.
On 14 September B.E. 2510 (1967), Constitution Drafting Assembly passed the resolution on the principle of the draft Reorganization of Ministry, Sub-Ministry, and Department Act. Then, the Reorganization of Ministry, Sub-Ministry, and Department Act (No. 4) B.E. 2010 (1967) was promulgated and published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette, special edition, page 1, volume 84, section 101 on 20 October B.E. 2510 (1967). According to the Act, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE) was established on 21 October B.E. 2510 (1967). The reasons for the establishment were that Thailand was an agricultural country that over 80 percent of the country’s population engaged in the agricultural sector. In addition, agricultural goods were the major export products of Thailand and income from its export accounted for 90 percent of total export income. With the above-mentioned reasons, it could be considered that the overall economy of the country depended on the agricultural sector. Adjunct Professor Thamnawng Sinkalavanij was officially appointed as the 1st Director-General of the DOAE from B.E. 2511 (1968) to B.E. 2518 (1975).
Objectives of Establishment
DOAE has the authority to provide services and disseminate technical know-how on modern agriculture to widely reach farmers so their agricultural products could increase quality and quantity to meet market demands, thereby helping raise farm income and a better standard of living which enhanced greater economic stability as a whole. To fully support agricultural matters to farmers, DOAE was set up as the single agency for agricultural extension to farmers. Its responsibilities are as follows:
– To promote crop cultivation for food, export, and domestic industrial materials
– To encourage farmers to form a group and support the formation of leading local farmers and young farmers to build self-help group
– To coordinate with related public and private agencies
– To promote agricultural production based on the domestic and international driven dema
– To specify a crop production that is suitable for areas and existing resources to get maximum return
– To jointly formulate with farmers a cultivation plan for multiple crops in farmers’ farmland instead of increasing yie
Initial Missions and Duties
1. Guide a notion of occupations to target farmers in accordance with their existing natural resources, biology, production technology, economy, culture, society, and politics in their area
2. Transfer agricultural technologies and knowledge as an intermediary to bring new modern know-how from research institutes and other recognized sources to target farmers while receiving local challenges, obstacles, and limitations raised by farmers to institutes
3. Promote sufficient agricultural production for domestic consumption, industries, and export, focusing on increasing production efficiency and reducing production costs
4. Provide agricultural extension services including supporting agricultural inputs to farmers in necessary cases e.g., natural disasters, pests and disease outbreaks, etc. for ongoing production of farmers and the country
5. Encourage farmers to form a group as farmer institutes or specific activity groups to gain knowledge transfer and take part in considering using technologies for production, types, quantity increase, and quality control of products for selling and generating income equally, according to the Announcement of the Revolutionary Party No. 140 and No. 141 “The formation of farmer housewife groups and young farmer groups”
6. Coordinate with other agencies of the Ministry of Agriculture to disseminate production know-how on crops, livestock, fisheries, and forestry at the operational level, including cooperating with other public and private agencies related to agriculture development for the benefit of farmers and the country
Organization and Personnel in B.E. 2511 (1968)
The central administration consisted of the Office of Secretary, Finance Division, Agricultural Technical Coordination Division, and Dissemination and Training Division while the two offices at the provincial administration were District Office and Provincial Office. The total of officials was 1,726 persons.
Present Missions and Duties
The Ministerial Regulation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives on the Organization of Department of Agricultural Extension in B.E. 2557 (2014) defined the tasks of DOAE to promote and develop farmers, farmer families, farmer organizations, community enterprises, to support and improve agricultural production, processing, value addition, and the quality control of agricultural produces and its products by conducting studies, research and development, and to identify measures and guidelines on agricultural extension, agricultural technologies transfer, and extension services so as to secure income and occupation of farmers, including a better standard of living and self-reliance sustainably.
The duties of DOAE are as follows:
1. Exercise its function as stated in the Community Enterprise Promotion Act, and other related legislation
2. Promote and develop farmers, farmer families, farmer organizations, and community enterprises
3. Develop, promote, and coordinate in transferring knowledge on agricultural production and management to farmers
4. Conduct research and development on agricultural extension
5. Carry out other activities which are under the jurisdiction of the DOAE or as assigned by the Ministry or the Cabinet
DOAE’s Organization Chart
1. Public Sector Development Group
2. Internal Auditing Group
3. Office of the Secretary
4. Finance Division
5. Personnel Division
6. Information and Communication Center
7. Planning Division
8. Bureau of Agricultural Commodities Promotion and Management
9. Bureau of Technology Transfer Development
10. Agricultural Extension Research and Development Division
11. Royal Projects Promotion and Agricultural Areas and Engineering Management Division
12. Farmers Development Division
13. Plant Protection Promotion and Soil and Fertilizer Management Division
14. Plant Propagation Division
15. 10 Plant Propagation Centers
16. Community Enterprise Promotion Division
17. Bangkok Area Agricultural Extension Office
18. Agricultural Extension Office Area 1 – 4
19. Office of Agricultural Extension and Development No. 1 – 6
20. 40 Operating Units
21. Provincial Agricultural Extension Office (76 Offices)
22. District Agricultural Extension Office (878 Offices)
· Central Administration
· Central Administration (offices are located in a province as a regional office)
· Provincial Administration
