Sustainable Rice production in Irrigated Central part of Thailand

Abstract

For the past 40 years rice production in central part of Thailand is low input technologies. Farmers use their wisdom knowledge for self-sufficient. The paddy field was submerged once a year that bring soil fertility. Farmers manage to grow many varieties of rice depend on land condition, that is in upper paddy they grown short duration varieties and in lower paddy they grown long duration varieties. This way of managing they can distribute labor properly, that labor may also do by sharing. Growing rice once a year, farmers in the central have no use of input such as, fertilizers, herbicides, etc. Although they got low yield less then 1 tonlha, but sufficient for the well being of small farmers. In the past 30 years government had policy to increase the production of rice by irrigation project and also land consolidation, etc. The farmer growing rice 2-3 times a year. They put more fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides that increase production cost. Although they got high yield, high income but sometime could not cope with the increasing of production materials. Moreover from using high input most of the farmers also burning the rice straw to have time to grow move crops, that make soil degradation. Project set up to cope the problems. Concept of the project: 1. Participation of farmer or farmer group, 2. Integrated of all stake-holder, 3. Capacity building of all by research, 4. Improve of Agricultural resource, 5. Food safely for all. The Strategies: 1 .Farmer is Center of development, 2.Farmer need approaches, 3 .Integrated scientific knowledge and indigenous knowledge. As the result of the project, we have about 300 house holds, 4 farmer groups, 1 net¡Xwork join to work together. Integrated of all stakeholders, such as government, non-government organization etc. The farmers could reduce production cost by half, increase income and improved environment condition.