February 9, 2010
The Government of Japan, under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects Scheme (GGP), is providing funds amounting to 1,669,500 baht for a project entitled “Promoting Organic Agriculture for the Reduction of Damage to Health and the Environment”. On January 26, 2010, H.E. Mr. Kyoji Komachi, Ambassador of Japan and Ms. Lalita Siriwattananon, manager of the Association of Environmental and Rural Development jointly signed the funding contract for the project at the Embassy of Japan.
Thailand is an agricultural country where 66% of all families are farming. It is the largest rice exporting country in the world meeting healthy external demand with good quality rice. The global market includes Asia, Africa, Middle East and America. However, large quantities of fertilizer and pesticide are needed for a good harvest, and agricultural chemicals are polluting the natural environment, and damaging farmers’ health, causing various symptoms, such as eye trouble, bronchial irritation etc. This is becoming a serious social problem. Which the, Thai government is taking seriously by providing training in organic agriculture. However the penetration level is still low.
In order to ease this situation, a farmers’ group in Nongkhuao village in Khon Kaen province is going to convert to organic agriculture with the cooperation of the Association of Environmental and Rural Development. Through the use of large quantities of fertilizer and pesticide, the land has become impoverished. Farmers have to buy new soil for repeated cultivation, leading to reduced income, and borrowing at high interest rates.
In response to a request from the Association of Environmental and Rural Development, the Government of Japan is providing funds for training in organic agriculture, the purchase of soil quality measurement instruments, the costs of composting, and the costs of publicity and so on. It is expected that the farmers will be able to reduce their costs by converting from chemical fertilizers to organic, and lift themselves out of poverty. Furthermore, it will contribute to improving the villagers’ and consumers’ health and to protecting the environment.
The Japanese government intends to continue supporting projects that can improve the livelihood of farmers.
