{"id":21264,"date":"2025-12-12T10:18:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T10:18:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.koktailmagazine.com\/?p=21264"},"modified":"2025-12-13T04:59:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-13T04:59:06","slug":"friday-future-lister-pattaraporn-nat-salirathavibhaga-makes-farming-cool-again-through-homeland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.koktailmagazine.com\/th\/2025\/12\/12\/friday-future-lister-pattaraporn-nat-salirathavibhaga-makes-farming-cool-again-through-homeland\/","title":{"rendered":"Friday Future Lister: Pattaraporn \u201cNat\u201d Salirathavibhaga Makes Farming Cool Again Through HOMELAND"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pattaraporn \u201cNat\u201d Salirathavibhaga\u2019s HOMELAND supports farmers through conscious purchasing and bringing agriculture into everyday awareness.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cI just want agriculture to be something cool. We grew up seeing it as something to look down on, but it shouldn\u2019t be. It\u2019s a huge part of all our lives,\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Pattaraporn \u201cNat\u201d Salirathavibhaga, co-founder of HOMELAND, an online grocery store and caf\u00e9, told us when we visited her caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Her words point to a broader reality: many people overlook the value of produce grown in their own country. To Nat farmers are far more than suppliers; they\u2019re guardians of land, water and culture. HOMELAND was built on this understanding, with a mission to foster a conscious lifestyle through food and community building in Thailand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so begins the story of Nat and HOMELAND.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strengthening Thailand\u2019s Food System Through Conscious Purchasing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Graduated from the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs, Nat began by sharing how her journey was shaped by years working with NGOs in New York before returning to Thailand. She saw firsthand how important cross-sector partnerships were in solving complex social issues and began to ask herself: which part of Thai society faces the biggest challenges and also holds the greatest potential for real change? For her the answer was clear: Thailand\u2019s agricultural and food system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThailand has long been called the \u2018kitchen of the world\u2019 and when I was growing up, everyone was taught the phrase \u2018farmers are the backbone of the nation\u2019. It shaped how I see things. Looking back I realise how essential our food system is economically, socially and in everyday life. Every meal connects us to the communities who produce it, and that connection is what inspired me to understand our food system more.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

When she returned to Thailand she began researching what farmers and small producers actually needed. She discovered that most of them were already skilled and committed to their craft; what they lacked wasn\u2019t knowledge but demand. NGOs could help farmers transition to organic or regenerative practices but without a market willing to pay fairly and understand seasonal variations, nothing would change sustainably. That insight became the spark for HOMELAND. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe didn\u2019t feel the need to \u2018improve\u2019 farmers\u2019 methods of growing or producing because so many groups already do that exceptionally well. What they lacked was someone who understood them when it came to procurement, the fact that flavours change with the seasons or that harvests vary. That kind of market understanding and demand simply wasn\u2019t strong enough among major businesses, especially fast-food chains or even supermarkets.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Nat wanted to become the bridge between local producers and consumers in the city. This led her to partner with the Sampran model, a well-known network supporting farmers transitioning to organic practices. Together they began with an online grocery store. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt was tough being entirely online. We couldn\u2019t meet customers or partners in person, so we focused on storytelling and sharing our partner farms\u2019 journeys. Convincing people to believe in us without tangible products was one of the biggest challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Many farmers were initially hesitant, accustomed to being pressured into strict sizes, quantities and consistency, but meeting Nat in person reassured them. She wanted to work with them, not control them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

From the beginning, she coined the term \u201cconscious purchasing\u201d to describe HOMELAND\u2019s approach. HOMELAND focuses on paying farmers fairly, letting them propose their own prices, understanding seasonal variation, accepting that small-scale, organic farming can be unpredictable, and building trust through face-to-face relationships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cOur partner farmers work closely with nature, adapting where they can but respecting what they cannot control. That\u2019s why conscious purchasing is so important \u2013 we adjust to their rhythms rather than forcing uniformity.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As the website gradually took off Nat decided to open an on-site caf\u00e9, giving visitors a chance to learn more about the farmers\u2019 products while experiencing a contemporary lifestyle.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How HOMELAND Balances Seasons, Supply and Real-Time Farmer Updates<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cI work with more than 30 partner farmer groups and they set their own prices while keeping me updated in real time. If cucumbers are delayed or a pumpkin batch turns out less flavoursome because of heavy rain, they tell me right away. Then I relay that to our caf\u00e9 team so we can adjust recipes or menus on the spot. That constant back-and-forth is what keeps everything running smoothly.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by HOMELAND \u0e1a\u0e49\u0e32\u0e19\u0e40\u0e01\u0e34\u0e14 (@homeland.bkk)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n