Sustainable Agriculture System: Production in Socio-Cultural and Resource Base

Abstract

     This study was aimed at investigating the models of sustainable farming based on Socio-Culture and Resource background of a group of 32 northeastern Thai farmers. These farmers are transforming Thai conventional farming to better sustainable agricultural systems. Their farms are located in three districts of Yasothon province, namely, Gudchum, Saimun and Muang. An action-research approach was employed in this study. The period of study was from October 2002 to June 2004. This study found that the sustainable farming models could be classified into five types, namely: 1) paddy farm model, 2) paddy and tree farm model, 3) paddy and field crop and cattle farm model, 4) paddy and field crop and cattle concentrated vegetable farm model, and 5) paddy and field crop concentrated cattle farm model. Paddy farm model was the most favorable type. Each model has similar farming key elements but is different in details. Differences were made by six factors. They are: 1) suitability of resource base, 2) production skill on cultural base, 3) labor and machine of family base, 4) marketing experience of family base, 5) location and transportation of village base, and 6) influence of group process on making decision. Each farm model has eight production activities. They are: rice growing, crop before rice and crop after rice growing, herbal growing, tree growing, animal raising, fish raising, soil fertile managing, and water management. These activities in sustainable farming have been integrated and are complementary with each other which leads to efficiency of utilization of these activities. Therefore, farmers have to be conscious about suitable management and about the complementary and diversity aspects of their farms. This management has been involved with three factors. They are: 1) using a by-product of one activity to be useful to another, 2) distributing resources such as land, labor, money and time in running an integrated farm, and 3) distributing risk in farming. If farmers mismanage diversity and integration of production, there will be a conflict among activities instead of being complementary. Furthermore, if they mismanage labor and time between farm activities and community activities, they may be involved in a battle among themselves and their families.