Toward Sustainable Development in Agriculture: A Reflection on the Learning Experiences of NGOs in Thailand

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to describe research into the experiences of Thai NGOs, in their work toward sustainable agriculture of small-holder farmers. The research objectives were: 1) to study the working philosophy of Thai NGOs, and their applications for sustainable development in agriculture; and 2) to synthesize the learning experiences of Thai NGOs, and the implications for policy on sustainable development in agriculture. The study was approached by qualitative research, supplemented partly with quantitative method. Data were collected by: 1) documentary analysis; 2) field data collection with in-depth interviews, focus-group interviews, and case studies; and 3) opinion survey with questionnaires. The respondents were: 1) 87 Thai NGOs from the north, northeast, south and central parts of Thailand, 2) 32 farmer-leaders, and 3) 146 extension government officials. Qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis; quantitative data with basic descriptive statistics. A procedure of member check was used to validate the findings. The findings are summarized as follows: 1. The working philosophy underlying efforts towards sustainable development in agriculture of the Thai NGOs are rooted in the concept of community culture. The emphasis is on community empowerment, building on local wisdom, and mobilized by community involvement. The goal is to shift the development paradigm from the traditional to an alternative. 2. During the early stage, work aiming at sustainable agriculture of the Thai NGOs focused on sustainable farming, in an effort to shift from mainstream agriculture to sustainable agriculture of small-holder farmers. Later, their activities had extended to alternative marketing to ensure continuity and economic sustainability of agricultural production. Along the way, active movements to secure supportive policies from the government were undertaken. 3. Internal and external factors limiting the success of Thai NGOs were identified. Internal factors were: 1) technical weakness of NGOs field workers, 2) lack of research-base and reflective accounts, 3) weak points in organizational structure of NGOs. External factors were: 1) unstable sources of funding, 2) lack of cooperative working channel with the government sector, and 3) lack of strong support from the middleclass sector. Reflecting on the learning experiences of Thai NGOs, the researchers proposed a network of activities linking NGOs, major educational institution in agriculture, and Ministry of Agriculture, for mutual efforts in sustainable development.