January 25, 2010
The Government of Japan is extending Grant Assistance under the Grassroots Human Security Projects scheme (GGP) to the project "Improving Cooperation among Local People for the Management of Local Resources". H.E. Mr. Kyoji Komachi, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Thailand, and Mr. Sirasit Jaroonsri, Coordinator of the Local Community Group for Sustainable Development, Dongnatam Community Forest Network, signed a contract on January 20, 2010 at the Embassy of Japan.
Pha Taem National Park in Ubon Ratchathani Province spans 3 districts: Khong Chiam, Si Muang Mai, and Pho Sai. Its eastern border is the Mekong River. People depend on fertile natural resources, but the resources are becoming depleted as a result of increasing cultivation of eucalyptus, rubber trees, cassava, etc. driven by the export promotion policy.
Although people living in and around the forests are considered to be deforesters, they actually play an important part in the conservation and restoration of natural resources. In order to stop the depletion, local people have to better understand the importance of the role of the forest, and then manage and conserve it by themselves.
Although 38 villages around Pha Taem National Park have organized a network for the forest protection, its activities are not dynamic and it is not yet an influential voice against the local governments. Some people living in the villages around the forests still depend on the forest resources, but vocational groups at the community level have a problem with their productive bases, and are finding it difficult to expand their activities and membership.
Against this background, it is necessary to deepen the community leaders’ understanding and develop their abilities, as well as to enhance networking at the sub-district level. It is also important to improve the local governments’ understanding so that they will adapt forest protection as their policy. At the same time, vocational groups require support for capacity building and network expansion.
Responding to this situation, the Government of Japan has decided to provide a total of 1,850,600 baht to the network of thirty eight villages around Pha Taem National Park in Ubon Ratchathani province.
Through this project, it is expected that activities to protect forest resources in the target areas will be enhanced so that Pha Taem National Park will be reforested, and that lobbying of the local governments will be effective to make them adopt a resources protection policy. It is also expected that through support to the vocational groups, people will become less dependent on forest resources.
The Government of Japan is willing to continue its support for projects which contribute to environmental restoration and protection at the grassroots level through its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects scheme (GGP).
