Challenges and changes in Thailand's agricultural sector
Thailand's agricultural sector, historically the backbone of the country, has faced dramatic changes and significant challenges.
Once the world leader in exports of various agricultural products, including rice, Thailand is struggling to adapt to new realities such as climate change, economic pressures and technological transformations. This article examines the evolution of Thailand's agricultural sector from a historical and critical perspective, with a focus on contemporary challenges and future opportunities.
Historical context
Thailand's agricultural history is deeply rooted in rice cultivation, which is central to both its economy and Thai culture. For decades, the Thai government encouraged the production of rice for both domestic consumption and export, resulting in Thailand's status as the world's largest rice exporter at various periods (The Nation). However, the overemphasis on rice has led to monoculture practices, which reduced biodiversity and depleted the soil.
Contemporary challenges
According to recent reports from the Bangkok Post and The Nation, Thailand's agricultural sector faces multiple challenges. One of these is the impact of climate change, which manifests itself in the form of irregular rainfall and frequent droughts. These changing weather patterns threaten the stability of rice production, directly impacting both smallholder farmers and the national economy.
In addition, the introduction of agrotechnology has created a divide between large, industrialized farms and small, traditional farmers. While large-scale wealthy farmers benefit from technological advances, smaller poor farmers struggle to access these technologies, resulting in increasing economic inequality within the agricultural community (Khaosod English).
The future of agriculture in Thailand
Looking to the future, it seems clear that sustainability and technology will be key factors in the development of Thai agriculture. According to the National News Bureau of Thailand, the government is now promoting the use of precision farming and organic farming methods. These techniques can help reduce agriculture's carbon footprint and improve yields.
Conclusion
Thailand's agricultural sector is at a crossroads. It is crucial that this sector adapts to modern challenges by not only embracing technology, but also by implementing policies that support smallholder farmers and protect biodiversity. Only by striking a balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability can Thailand revitalize its agricultural sector and move towards a sustainable future. This transition requires a critical reassessment of traditional practices and a renewed focus on innovation and equity within the sector.
More information and resources
- Bangkok Post: “Climate Change and Its Impact on Thai Agriculture,” Bangkok Post, accessed April 28, 2024.
- TheNation: “Thailand's Agricultural Sector Faces the Challenges of Modernization,” The Nation, published March 12, 2023.
- Khaosod English: “Technology Divide: How Thai Farmers Are Being Left Behind,” Khaosod English, last updated on January 15, 2024.
- National News Bureau of Thailand: “Government Promotes Sustainable Farming Practices,” National News Bureau of Thailand, published online February 5, 2024.
About this blogger
- The Expat (66) has been living in Pattaya for 17 years and enjoys every day in the land of milk and honey! Previously employed in road and hydraulic engineering, but fled the capricious weather in the Netherlands. Lives here with his Thai girlfriend and two dogs just outside Pattaya, a 3-minute walk from the beach. Hobbies: enjoying life, going out, sports and philosophizing with friends about football, Formula 1 and politics.
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The interpreter bases his opinion on a number of sources, but there is of course much more to it.
In Isaan, overexploitation has been committed in favor of rice cultivation since 50-60 years ago. The overexploitation involved the felling of forests in an area where the soil is poor in nutrients and which, due to the capular effect of the salt sublayer, now causes the land to become salinized and it is impossible to grow rice anyway. In the areas in Isaan where things are not too bad, there is no profit with an annual harvest due to the lack of rain because there are no forests.
Isaan should be written off as a food store was already a prediction about 9 years ago by people who understand climate changes. Things would actually become more favorable around the Chao Phraya loop...
TH could have gained momentum a few years ago when the world panicked about warming and came with plenty of subsidies, especially from rich countries. It was the time to transform saline soil to its old state, i.e. planting trees for CO2 extraction, and this could also include native trees such as trees with oil seeds such as krabok. The African brother of krabok is used in cosmetics, but due to the destructive culture of Thai policymakers and officials, krabok unfortunately never becomes anything and that applies to many more plant-based products.
The obstacles to using common sense have been known for some time, but it remains painful to see, but on the other hand, it also makes people creative.
Opposing ideas from the population by elected policy makers seems to be in the DNA and as long as this is not recognized then it is a matter of waiting for chaos and in the meantime it is just a matter of messing around.
With such a government, no one should find it strange that as a citizen you think of taking what I can get while I can and the flood after me.
A problem with Thais is that they don't want to learn anything new, especially from foreigners, so they continue to grow rice as they did 50-60 years ago, without modernizing or applying new techniques. As a result, for example, in Vietnam the yield per hectare has doubled and in Thailand it has decreased…
I agree with both responses, but there must be sufficient resources and finances are a bad point in Thailand and it will remain as it is and the elderly will still have to do it now, but in a few years the young people will no longer be willing to work in the rice fields.
With the simple technology in the rice fields, it has NOW become very expensive to grow rice.
Set 10 rai. We had a less good harvest last year and only 40 bags at 400 THB per bag, a maximum of 16.000 THB.
Simple calculation but very cheap:
Costs of plowing twice due to grass at 2 THB per rai is 200 THB.
Sowing rice. Can be done by hand but also with a machine at 50 to 100 THB per rai. Say an average of 750 thb.
2 bags of fertilizer average 1000 thb and spread: 2200 thb
Harvest cheaply 10 x 600 thb here in Roi Et = 6000 thb.
The total costs are already THB 12.950.
Let's not count all the food and all the work that people do. Help each other. So it doesn't pay at all...not to grow rice right now.
If more technology has to be paid for, money is added.
More government subsidies or a cooperative where everyone can borrow equipment very cheaply… like it used to be and isn’t even here yet.
The Thai farmer generally wants to have everything under his own control and does not lend out material for fear of defects.
The fact is that the farmer gets almost nothing for his rice with his hard work and can barely cover costs, let alone earn enough, while the rice is in the shops for a high price, in Thailand too the farmers are exploited and the middlemen and the big grocer earn the most from the rice, not much difference with the Netherlands, there a farmer also gets barely 15 euro cents for 1 kg of potatoes and you pay €1,20 per kg at Jumbo
Something will have to change structurally so that farmers can earn more money and innovate
Gr. Arno
Being the latter is precisely the problem, but also the solution.
Simply doing your annual ritual and coming to the conclusion that the yield is decreasing every year and then complaining doesn't help.
Now it is possible that subsidies are available and that should be taken up by regional administrators down to village level. The dynamics must therefore come from the bottom up and that means village or municipal cooperatives.
In areas where the future for rice cultivation looks good, these matters have usually already been arranged and large quantities are involved.
Rice cultivation in Isaan is more for personal use and after the harvest the land is extremely suitable for grazing cows and goats. The coop can process these itself, because in rural areas the slaughter rules are not so strict, and sell them. The goal is self-sufficiency in the region and actively looking for favorable financing. I would say start crowdfunding as a coop and make your own region a proud region, if necessary with the help of an organization that has done this before.
I have now created a job in TH for my friend Rob V. out of nowhere 😉 Once you work it out properly, it can be scaled to many regions.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/2694136/support-scheme-for-rice-farmers-gets-underway
https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40030546
I totally agree with encouraging cooperatives Johnny because that makes my socialist heart beat faster. 😉 But it is not my job, the Thai have to do that themselves, together from the bottom up with a government that of course promotes that (that is very different from playing Santa Claus with subsidies etc.). But also think about land consolidation and such. Structural changes. And there will certainly be good lessons to be learned from the neighbors in Vietnam and China.
Hey friend, have you suddenly forgotten the human rights violations in China with their good lessons?
Unfortunately, you confirm the image I already had. Preaching from the sidelines what is good for a Thai and not taking responsibility for taking risks in your own life. Others should do that so that complaining can continue.
That's what it has always been about, take responsibility and don't get stuck in the role of victim.
The average retired white-nose in TH is much more social in terms of support in that respect.
Don't get me wrong, it is not a personal attack, but more of an observation that saying something and rejecting it as normal is considered normal and therefore this is a tribute to the white noses who are actively improving lives in the background.
Everyone is burning their fingers if you really want the country to progress on a micro level and what respect do they get when things go wrong?
The great thing about a friendship is that we can be honest 🙂
A few notes:
– agriculture in Thailand is much more than rice. Expressed in dollars, the export of fruit and also of fish is much higher than that of rice;
– the many small rice farmers mainly produce for their own consumption, not for the market. They are not interested in new technologies and higher yields. When they get older, people think about selling the land as a kind of pension fund. There is currently a lot of rice land for sale.
– a factor that should not be forgotten is that many farmers are older, some are hobby farmers and have no successor. Children do not want to farm, do not want to live in the countryside that is too quiet (with too few facilities and good schools) and earn more.
– there is already a growth in contract cultivation (on the initiative of traders with China; durian, longon, mangosteen, rice) and this will undoubtedly increase in the coming years. Agricultural land is then bought up and exploited by larger companies. A win-win situation for the poor old rice farmer.
“– there is already a growth in contract cultivation (initiated by traders with China; durian, longon, mangosteen, rice) and this will undoubtedly increase in the coming years. Agricultural land is then bought up and exploited by larger companies. A win-win situation for the poor old rice farmer.”
Where there is a winner there is also a loser and that is the normal man of the future. Typical Thai idea of win-win for only a target group. You cannot get back what you have lost and that is why the law is good that foreigners are not allowed to buy land anyway and certainly not agricultural land.
TH as a future puppet state of China. I don't even want to think about it...