Farming Support for Those Losing Employment Owing to COVID-19

As has been the case in many countries, the spreading COVID-19 outbreak has caused Thailand's economy to stagnate and the 1.0% in March 2020 unemployment rate rose sharply to 2.1% in July of the same year^*1. The number of unemployed people reached 2.5 million ^*2, during the first half of 2020 (January-June), necessitating urgent action.

The Siam Kubota Corporation Co., Ltd. (SKC) business has been contributing to the development of Thailand's agriculture and economy and the improvement of people's quality of life. Even during the COVID-19 outbreak, to put its business fields to use in support of those who are struggling, the company has launched a farming support project to develop career paths in agriculture.

The project, established in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor of the Royal Thai Government, is designed to help those who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 outbreak acquire the skills and knowledge required for working in agriculture. Four courses offered with a focus on theory and practice provide skill training for driving tractors, combine harvesters, and reaper-binders, and for operating mini excavators. Furthermore, project participants can learn the SKC-developed farming method called Kubota Agri Solutions, water resource management, and drought management. After having completed 18 cumulative hours of study and training, they have the opportunity to take the national labor standards assessment test.

This project was launched in June 2020 in five provinces in Thailand, and 365 people took the course during that year. This activity is also continuing in 2021 under the Kubota Agri e-Learning Project.

Unemployed people will develop a sustainable career path through this project and the subsequent increase in the number of people with skills to operate agricultural machinery will help improve Thai agricultural productivity. SKC continues to support those facing difficulties due to the COVID-19 outbreak and also contributes to the sustainable development of Thai agriculture.