On 20 September 2025, the Global Relations Division organised a learning activity on Wolffia globosa (Kai Phum) farming & food product development at Mecheeva Community Enterprise in Wiang Chai District, Chiang Rai. Over 30 participants, including Thai and international students and lecturers, joined the activity.
The Mecheeva Community Enterprise is one of the communities participating in the Aomsin Yuwapat Raktin Project 2025. Under this project, Mae Fah Luang University Intellectual Property and Innovation Management Division in collaboration with the Government Savings Bank (GSB), are helping the community develop their products. The project’s goal is to encourage MFU students to apply their knowledge to community development. This is achieved by helping the community generate incomes, reduce inequality, and enhance local business competitiveness through creating additional value in their products and services.
The main highlight of the activity was the hands-on learning experience with Wolffia globosa (Kai-Phum) cultivation. Participants had the opportunity to harvest fresh Wolffia, learn about the cleaning process, and transform it into various foods and products. This unique contains more protein per weight than soybeans and is the only known plant-based source of non-animal-derived vitamin B12. It is commonly found in the northern and northeastern provinces of Thailand.
In the morning, after collecting the Wolffia, participants rotated through four stations, each focused on incorporating the plant into a different cuisine: Thong Muan (Thai crispy rolls), Chilled Jelly Dessert, Yakisoba (where students mixed Wolffia into their own noodles dough), and Thai-Style Omelets.
In the afternoon, students learned to make beverages using Wolffia powder, including:
• Wolffia powder mixed with Sprite
• Wolffia powder blended with coffee and coconut blossom drink
• Wolffia powder with fresh milk
This activity was a part of “Meet with MFU International Buddy” programe. It provided an excellent opportunity for new international students and their buddies to exchange ideas, collaborate, and get to know each other through interactive experiences. Moreover, this community-based activity offered not only hands-on experience but also helped students understand the university’s crucial role in providing academic service for community development.
