“There is Fish in the Water and so is Rice in the Paddy”
Out of concern for the health of the population with lowincome,
His Majesty the King has undertaken the study of fish
culture with the aim of providing a source of easily-produced
good quality protein.
In 1968, the Japanese Emperor Akihito, then the Crown Prince,
presented His Majesty with fingerlings of Tilapia nilotica. His
Majesty subsequently named that fish species Nil, which is
derived from the word nilotica in its scientific name, and gave the
fish to the farmers for further propagation and consumption.
While visiting the people in various parts of the country, His
Majesty the King had witnessed the problem of the farmers’
poverty. His Majesty revived in l960 the Royal Ploughing
Ceremony, an ancient royal tradition, which continues to be
performed to this day, in order to boosting the morale of the
farmers and giving them encouragement.
He also undertook an Experimental Paddy, within the
compound of Chitralada Villa, for the conduct of studies on rice
cultivation methods, including crop rotation for soil improvement
and the optimum utilization of the fields. The results obtained
were then disseminated to the farmers.
Consequently, His Majesty initiated rice farmer union, with their
own collective rice barns and rice mills. In the Royal Chitralada
Projects, then there are Models of Rice Storages and Rice Mill
demonstrating since 1971.