Dr. Sonnthida Sambath (Thida)

Deputy Head, Agricultural Engineering Division, Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI)

Thida has over thirteen years’ experience in horticultural research, with a focus on supply chains, value chains and food safety in both Cambodia and Australia. She has worked in both developed and developing countries and in a range of government, NGO and private sector organisations.

Early in her academic career Thida recognised that the quality of horticultural produce was a significant issue for Cambodia and was motivated to contribute to solving the problem by pursuing research in postharvest physiology.

Most recently, she has been involved in the identification, testing and implementation of low-cost postharvest technologies for improved management of tomato and Asian leafy vegetables under tropical conditions, and the development of extension resources.

As well as technical expertise in food science, Thida is experienced in social research methods and is an excellent communicator with strong negotiation, problem solving and networking skills. She is an adept networker and enjoys creating opportunities to bring people together to share knowledge and promote positive change.

Thida has a keen interest in research that positively impacts profitability and prosperity in the agricultural sector. She is passionate about the importance of linking research outcomes with agribusiness and policy-makers to enable them to be scaled to their full potential.

She was awarded a John Allwright Fellowship (JAF) through which she completed a PhD in Food Science in Australia and is now a proud Meryl Williams Fellow.

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