Experience in Supervising a Farmer Network
for Sustainable Agriculture
in Central Thailand
Prateep Verapattananirund
Eco-Community Vigor Foundation
Economic Development Concept :
“Free Trade”
• Target
– money
• Approach
– fragmented development
– dependency on foreign market, capital, and
technologies
• Results
– bubble economy
– social problems
– degradation of natural resources and environment
The Important Capital of Farmers
• morality
• local wisdom
• habit on saving &
helping each other
• good health
• warm family
• value & culture
• strong community
• savings & assets
•
•
•
•
•
right & freedom
interactive learning
self-reliance
environment
natural resources
–
–
–
–
forest
biodiversity
soil
water
SADP (Sustainable Agricultural Development Project)
• Commissioned at national level by the
Dept. of Agriculture (DOA), MOAC
• Implemented at regional level by the
Office of Agric. R&D (OARD 1-8) of
DOA
• Financially supported by DANCED
from 2000 to 2002
The Objectives of SADP
• Overall objective: To promote
environmental conditions, decrease land
degradation, provide consumer options
through the availability of green
agricultural products, and improve the
quality of life for smallholder farmers
• Immediate objective: To promote
systematic and efficient implementation
strategies, training and learning programs
for the enhancement of SA
Panaphol Network (June 2003)
Province Number of Main activities
farmer groups
Singburi
2
Rice, vegetable
Chainat
2
Rice, vegetable,
integrated farming,
community forest
Nakorn Swan 1
Community forest
Lopburi
1
Vegetable
Uthai Thani
1
Integrated farming,
community forest
Suphanburi
4
Rice, vegetable
Kanchanaburi 1
Vegetable
Strategies for Building Capacity of Farmers
•
•
•
•
•
•
Farmer-centered Development
Participation of Farmers
Interactive Learning through Action
Networking of Farmer Groups
Focus on Self-reliance
Action Research by Farmers
Farmer-centered Development
Participation of Farmers
This learning process also helps increase
- self-confident & self-management of
the farmers, and
- re-establish relationship with nature
& community.
All of these outcomes should help individuals
to be self-reliance and, therefore, strengthen
the community.
Focus on Self-reliance
(Self-sufficient Economy)
• Target
– human
• Approach
– holistic development
– interactive learning process
– self-reliance
• Results
– good economy
– warm society
– sustainable management of natural resources and
environment
Most of the formal research findings
are not useful for farmers.
Differences in agricultural development
paradigm (among farmers, academics and policy makers)
?
Diversities in the farmers’ capital (e.g. local
wisdom, cultural, economic & environmental conditions, natural
resources, access to information & services etc.)
Lacking of participation (the user of research findings)
creating “Research Gaps”
Basic
research
Applied
research
Action
research
Action Research by Farmers
Actio
Resea
n
(Farmer
rch
s)
Participatory Technology Development
(PTD)
Panaphol Network
(Forum for SA)
Forums for PTD
Rice
Vegetable
Integrated farming,
community forest
The Key Performance Indicators for SA
Economic
- Net income
- Production cost
- Dependency on
external inputs
- Amount of
saving fund
-
Social
Environment
- Expenses for health care - No. of natural enemies
- Migration from family
- Amount of chemical
- Continuity of interactive inputs
learning forums
- Soil fertility
- No. of interactive
management activities
-No. of group members
- No. of resource persons
- No. of organizations
involved
Networking creates an opportunity for the
farmers to express opinions and share experiences from
what they have learned from the field trials.
Exchanging ideas with people from the same
occupation help them discover some useful knowledge
that can immediately be applied to their work without
waiting for formal research findings.
Finally, the farmers will be inspired to solve the
problems by themselves and recognize the importance
of self-reliance, farmer-centered development, which,
consequently, will enhance a balanced development of
economy, society and the environment.
Best Practices for Sustainable Rice Production
Best practices
Province
Seed selection & preparation for planting
Chainat
Land preparation with reduced tillage &
Suphanburi
without rice straw burning
Bio-fertilizers
Suphanburi
Bio-pesticides
Suphanburi
IPM
Chainat
Rice straw management after harvest
Singburi
Techniques for taking care the rice field
All provinces
ศ.นพ.วิจารณ พานิช (ผอ.สคส.) พบเครือขายพนาผล
15 มี.ค. 2546
ผูแทนเยาวชนโครงการเยาวชนเพื่อสิ่งแวดลอมบรรยายสรุปกิจกรรม
ผูใหญสมเกียรติบรรยายขั้นตอนการจัดทําแผนชุมชน
ต.บานไร อ.ลาดยาว จ.นครสวรรค
15 มี.ค. 2546
ทีมผูนําที่จัดทําแผนชุมชน ต.บานยาง อ.วัดโบสถ จ.พิษณุโลก
16 มี.ค. 2546
1 ป สํานักตะคาพัฒนา
26 ก.ค. 2546