Bonny Babu applies his engineering skills to sustainable farming and creates Khao Yai Vanilla.
In the search for produce across Thailand, the land continues to reveal how soil and care shape what we grow and eat. Through this Future List series, I’ve encountered stories ranging from cocoa farms in Chiang Mai and Nong Khai to banana-growing communities, as well as individuals supporting local farmers and even a chef travelling in search of rare Thai ingredients. Each story reflects a different relationship between people and produce.
This time the focus turns to a different kind of crop, vanilla. Though vanilla originates from abroad, its ability to adapt has allowed it to take root in Thailand. At Khao Yai that potential has been shaped into something remarkable.
Khao Yai Vanilla stands as the country’s first 100% off-grid, solar-powered vanilla farm, set in one of Thailand’s most fertile regions. The project brings together Visootha “Nikki” Lohitnavy, previously featured as a Future Lister in 2020 as Thailand’s first female winemaker at GranMonte Vineyard and Winery, and Bonny Babu, whose engineering background and focus on smart farming systems shape the farm’s operations and sustainable direction today.
Together, they have created more than just a farm, each supporting the other. This story looks more closely at Babu’s work on the ground, where Khao Yai Vanilla continues to add to a new chapter in Thailand’s agricultural story.
From Two Vines to a Growing Farm: Khao Yai Vanilla’s Journey
Khao Yai Vanilla began with the simplest of beginnings: two vanilla vines gifted from Nikki’s friends. At that time, vanilla remained largely unexplored in Thailand, aside from a handful of initiatives such as the Royal Project in Chiang Mai.
Intrigued by the plant’s potential, Nikki decided to pursue vanilla cultivation in earnest. Her experience at GranMonte gave her a strong foundation in agriculture, from overseeing the full production process to shaping how each vineyard plot contributes to the final product, supported by modern techniques in pressing and ageing to ensure quality.
Shifting to a new crop, however, required a different approach. The early years involved trial and error, from pruning branches to hand-pollinating flowers. It took around five to six years to propagate the vines, produce beans and bring them to market among chefs and the F&B industry, where the vanilla is used in its pure form for food, beverages and desserts.
By 2015, the farm had its first dozen vanilla vines. Two years later, the initial harvest confirmed the potential of Khao Yai’s soil for premium vanilla. The following years focused on steady expansion and improving sustainable cultivation techniques. In 2020, the farm produced a significant harvest from over 300 healthy plants.
Then in 2023, Babu joined Nikki combining his expertise in technology and sustainable agriculture to take Khao Yai Vanilla to its next chapter.
Engineering Meets Agriculture: Babu Brings Tech to the Farm
Originally from India, Babu grew up in a farming family with a lifelong dream of returning to the land. Graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Telecommunication from Adichunchangiri Institute of Technology (AIT), Chikmagalur, India, his career took him into engineering and enterprise solutions, working as sales engineer with large organisations on workplace transformation, business mobility, identity management, virtual desktops and application solutions. Despite having no formal agricultural training, he brought curiosity, dedication and practical skills to farming. After marrying Nikki, he moved to Thailand, where his IT expertise and technical know-how became the foundation for the innovations that now power Khao Yai Vanilla.
At Khao Yai Vanilla, Babu played a pivotal role in transforming the farm into a 100% off-grid solar-powered operation. He designed the layout, shade houses and irrigation systems that blend technical precision with sustainable practices. The solar system managed through an app he developed controls water flow, valves, UV exposure and weather data, reducing electricity costs by nearly THB 100,000 in just four months and lowering the farm’s carbon footprint by 1.8 tonnes, equivalent to planting 125 trees.
Solar panels serve as the farm’s main energy source and over 90 percent of daily operations run through the smart farming system. Acting as the farmer’s “eye,” it monitors temperature and humidity in real time, automatically activating sprinklers to protect the vines from heat or dryness. Babu also introduced smart irrigation, integrated pest management and organic farming practices, which ensured each vanilla vine grows in optimal conditions with minimal environmental impact. Babu also contributed to the systems at GranMonte Vineyard and Winery, supporting its technical and operational infrastructure.
Every corner of Khao Yai Vanilla reflects Babu’s dedication. His work ensures the farm produces premium vanilla beans while setting a new standard for sustainable agriculture in Thailand. Through his vision, technical expertise and connection to the land, he has helped both GranMonte and Khao Yai Vanilla grow into models of innovation and sustainability.
Blooming Into the Future with Sustainable Growth
The results reflect steady growth over time. A new plantation was established in February 2024. Early flowers appeared within a year and now in 2026, many vines are in bloom, marking a key milestone as the farm moves closer to its first substantial harvest. Cultivation has expanded to over 3,000 vines.
Khao Yai Vanilla offers both products and farm visits. Knowledgeable guides take guests through the farm, showing how vanilla is grown and cared for, sharing its history and explaining global vanilla varieties, integrated farming practices, processing and marketing. The farm also produces chemical-free products with no added preservatives, including vanilla beans, vanilla bean paste with real seeds and vanilla-infused honey.Under Babu’s guidance, the farm maintains a focus on precision and sustainability, with every vanilla bean reflecting both quality and a system built with intention. Nikki, as Managing Director, oversees production and marketing, ensuring the farm’s vanilla reaches the right markets.
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