Australia Awards Thai Agronomy Professor

THAI-AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

Australia awards Thai agronomy professor

The Nation

Australia's Crawford Fund has awarded an outstanding agronomy professor of Chiang Mai University for her continued contribution to international agricultural research, announced Australian Embassy in Bangkok.

Dr Benjavan Rerkasem was selected for recognition medal for her leadership in agricultural research and sustainable agriculture. Her works cover a range of areas including intellectual property rights and agricultural plant genetic resources; biotechnology and agriculture; and sustainability of agriculture in Asia.

The professor is among the most cited scientists in Thailand in agricultural science. She is an alumnus of the University of Western Australia, where she studied with an Australian Government Columbo Plan scholarship. In 2008 she was also presented with a distinguished international alumnus award from the university.

Throughout her career, Benjavan has been called upon by agencies such as the Asian Development Bank and the Thailand Research Fund to assess research needs in southeast Asia. She has developed research programmes to address these issues with support from diverse donors including the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

The Crawford Fund is a nonprofit organisation in Australia dedicated to raising awareness of the international agricultural research benefits to developing countries and to Australia. The Fund supports the work of ACIAR, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and other international research centres.

-- The Nation 2012-01-04