🌱 GMI-KMUTT Drives “PMUC Zero Burn to Earn” Initiative, Leveraging Logistics Innovation to Transform Agricultural Waste into a Circular Economy

On 23 May 2026, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Taweesak Kritcharoen, Dean of the Graduate School of Management and Innovation (GMI), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), together with researchers from the GMI Logistics Innovation Center, participated in the event “Nuea San Sang: Zero Burn to Earn” under the “PMUC Zero Burn to Earn” initiative at Chiang Mai University.

The event was organized by the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC) to showcase progress and collaborative achievements in addressing Thailand’s PM2.5 pollution problem through sustainable solutions involving government agencies, research institutions, private sectors, and local communities.

During the event, Prof. Dr. Yossanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, emphasized the importance of applying the Circular Economy concept by integrating research, industry, and communities to create economic value from agricultural residues.

On this occasion, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Taweesak presented the role of the GMI Logistics Innovation Center, which focuses on developing supply chain and logistics management systems to improve the collection, transportation, and utilization of agricultural waste for commercial processing and industrial applications.

A key contribution from KMUTT is the development of a Matching System that connects supply and demand across the entire value chain — from farmers and agricultural waste sources, to collection, transportation, processing, and downstream industries seeking sustainable raw materials.

“The heart of the ‘Zero Burn to Earn’ initiative is transforming agricultural waste from a burden into a valuable resource.
KMUTT contributes by designing a Matching System that effectively connects supply and demand throughout the ecosystem.
When we know who has what, where it is located, what is needed, and how to transport it most efficiently, logistics systems can reduce costs, minimize waste, and improve overall supply chain performance.
Every activity within this system — collection, aggregation, transportation, processing, and utilization — must create value.
This is KMUTT’s role in connecting knowledge, technology, and logistics to transform ‘burning’ into ‘income’ and build a sustainable green economy.”

The “PMUC Zero Burn to Earn” initiative aims to enhance the agricultural waste value chain in Northern Thailand by integrating innovation, technology, logistics, and economic mechanisms to encourage farmers and communities to generate income from agricultural residues instead of open-field burning — one of the major causes of PM2.5 pollution.

KMUTT’s participation through the GMI Logistics Innovation Center represents a key mechanism in developing a sustainable Logistics Ecosystem and Matching System, connecting stakeholders throughout the value chain, from farmers and communities to logistics providers, processing plants, and industrial users.

The project also demonstrates how universities can apply academic knowledge to solve critical national challenges through collaboration among government agencies, private sectors, communities, and educational institutions — driving Thailand toward a circular economy and a low-carbon society.

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