Starter Pilot Phase 1.1

Pilot Location

The first bioTRANS pilot will be implemented in Nakhon Sawan province, beginning in Thap Tako district.

This area represents a typical rice-growing landscape where farmers manage multiple harvests per year and face the practical challenges of straw management and soil fertility.

Pilot Infrastructure

The pilot phase will establish the core infrastructure required for the bioTRANS system, including:

• a biomass hub
• a compost production facility
• a Tambon-level bale yard for rice straw aggregation
• a farmer training and learning center

These facilities will demonstrate how biomass recovery and compost production can operate within a local agricultural landscape.

Pilot Activities

The pilot program will test and demonstrate several key activities:

• rice straw collection and logistics
• biomass storage and aggregation
• compost production and quality control
• compost application in farmer fields
• farmer training and demonstration plots

These activities will generate practical experience that can guide future expansion.

Pilot Outcomes

The pilot phase will provide technical, operational, and social insights that help refine the bioTRANS model.

The experience gained will support the gradual scaling of the system across wider rice-growing regions.

Program Principles

Farmer-centered solutions
Practical and scalable systems
Soil regeneration and circular agriculture
Community enterprise participation
Open collaboration with development partners

The pilot phase is intended as a learning process where practical approaches to straw recovery, compost production, and soil regeneration can be tested and improved together with farmers.