NEWS
Extra cash in pockets of many Thai rice farmers
Writer: Prangthong Jitcharoenkul, Junior Communication Officer, GIZ Thailand’s Agriculture and Food Cluster UBON RATCHATHANI, Thailand – Ever since local farmers developed a better understanding of the international standard for sustainable rice cultivation and managed to do away with overusing fertilizer, they have earned more money and become a role model for those who still feel …
Being a farmer is not just a career choice
Writer: Montree Promaluksan, Field Manager, Better Rice Initiative Asia (BRIA) – Thailand For decades, the farm sector has been a driving engine behind Thailand’s economic growth. Every government has come up with many policies to better the quality of life of rural farmers. But why are Thai rice farmers not wealthy as a consequence? A …
Thai government measures local greenhouse gas emissions
Writer: Patcharin Sae-heng, Project Assistant, Thai-German Climate Programme (TGCP) – Agriculture In efforts to foster a transition towards a low-carbon and prevent its adverse impacts, Thailand is piloting a system to monitor, quantify and assess greenhouse gas emissions for agricultural sector, staring from rice cultivation. Dr. Thomas Jaekel, GIZ-CIM Expert and Development Specialist facilitates the …
More gas chromatographs installed to curb greenhouse gas
Writer: Patcharin Sae-heng, Project Assistant, Thai-German Climate Programme (TGCP) – Agriculture Over the past years, the Rice Research Center in Prachin Buri province has been the only rice center in Thailand that possessed a gas chromatograph for analyzing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from paddy fields. But lack of gas chromatograph is no longer a problem. …
Robusta coffee farmers in southern Thailand share their proud moments
Writer: Potchanee Roquet, Field Advisor, Coffee+ A sharp drop in crop prices and lack of government’s continuous supports for Robusta coffee plantations in previous years have forced many small-scale farmers in the South to turn their backs on their much-loved beans to grow other economic crops instead. However, the situation is starting to change, with …
Youth secures a better future for palm oil
Writer: Naylinya Chappanapong, Senior Communication Officer, GIZ Thailand’s Agriculture and Food Cluster About 50 young people from across the region have joined hands to co-create commitment towards ‘shared responsibility’ and called for all parties involved to sourcing 100% sustainable palm oil. Speaking at the sideline workshop of the Asian Youth for Sustainable Palm Oil Summit …
Farmers need stronger rice seeds to fight against climate change
Writer: Prangthong Jitcharoenkul, Junior Communication Officer, GIZ Thailand’s Agriculture and Food Cluster With climate change, floods, droughts, and diseases making lives of local farmers more unbearable, Thai scientists are developing new rice strains that can resist both man-made and natural threats. Deputy Agriculture Minister Prapat Pothasuthon said during his opening remarks at the 2nd Global …
Farmers may have found the best way to counter climate change: teamwork
Writer: Prangthong Jitcharoenkul, Junior Communication Officer, GIZ Thailand’s Agriculture and Food Cluster A few years ago, Sawanee Phorang heard about climate-friendly technology for the first time and how a change in farmers’ behavior could curb excess emissions of greenhouse gases from the rice fields. She questioned the points of it all. “I have heard about …
Farmer Business School attracts local university students to uncover their hometown’s hidden gem: Robusta coffee
Writer: Prangthong Jitcharoenkul, Junior Communication Officer, GIZ Thailand’s Agriculture and Food Cluster Dozens of vocational students and Robusta coffee growers in Chumphon province gathered in the classrooms, hoping to reshape the future of coffee beans of southern Thailand. Speaking during the opening ceremony of the event entitled: Farmer Business School (FBS) – SmartGen at Chumphon …