Group photo

Bangkok, 3 May 2024 – A network of Thai rice stakeholders reached a common vision to foster national policies and related activities for upscaling environmentally-conscious rice farming practices to maintain, restore, and improve biodiversity and ecosystem health at landscape scale.

The latest synergy between government agencies, public, private and non-governmental partners to transform the national rice sector and agricultural production landscapes was demonstrated during the inception workshop of the Inclusive Sustainable Rice Landscapes in Thailand (ISRL) project.

Some 70 participants and representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment – led by the Rice Department, the Land Development Department, the Department of Agricultural Extension, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Royal Forestry Department, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning – and all key partners participated in the session to learn more about the objectives of the ISRL project, the expected outcomes, outputs and planned activities at the national and provincial levels. The workshop dived deep into details of targets, implementation methods and ownership to ensure effective results. Participants also discussed the importance of working across agencies to integrate priorities to achieve meaningful and lasting impacts.

Chitnucha Buddhaboon, Rice Department Deputy Director-General

Chitnucha Buddhaboon, Rice Department Deputy Director-General, gave a keynote speech during the ISRL inception workshop, saying: “We’re aware of challenges facing rice farmers. That’s why traditional rice farming in Thailand should be systematically transformed. We value policy implementation, research and development and collaboration to protect the livelihoods and resilience of farmers and to reduce the footprint of rice farming on climate and the environment.”

Mr Chitnucha added that in April, the Rice Department introduced 10 new rice cultivars that are of better quality and suitable for growing in any area of the country, are resistant to droughts and floods while reducing fertiliser use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These rice varieties will boost farmer’s livelihoods and Thailand’s competitiveness in the international market.

Sarida Khananusit, Project Director, GIZ Thailand during group session

Thailand is a global leader in rice production and exports. Increased rice production over the past decades without sustainable landscape management has resulted in environmental degradation, GHG emissions, and declines in biodiversity and ecosystem services. Agricultural expansion, intensive monocultures, and expansion of cash crops, particularly in the upper reaches of watersheds, have contributed to deforestation, loss of wildlife habitat, and loss of connectivity between protected areas.

Dr Nana Kuenkel, Project Director and Cluster Coordinator, GIZ said: “The Inclusive Sustainable Rice Landscapes in Thailand (ISRL) project will enable all stakeholders to transform rice and agricultural production landscapes by reconciling competing social, economic, and environmental interests.”

Building on the successes of previous initiatives supported by GIZ in cooperation with the Rice Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, and OLAM Agri, since 2018 through the develoPPP programme of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the ISRL project focuses on co-developing and demonstrating an integrated and multi-disciplinary landscape management approach to shift from conventional rice farming to inclusive, sustainable rice farming. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and executed by GIZ, the ISRL project aims to build policies, capacity, and financing to apply and upscale adoption of sustainable rice farming practices while maintaining, restoring and improving landscapes, ecosystems and biodiversity.

Group activity during the one-day workshop

More than 45,000 Thai farmers in Chiang Rai and Ubon Ratchathani joining the project will be trained to improve management and production practices by the year 2027.

Communities will learn how to produce their own natural composts and biocontrol products, thereby reducing farming costs and the potential risks of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Crop diversification and agroforestry will also be carried out. An estimated one million rai of rice farmland and forest areas (160,00 hectares) are expected to benefit from the adoption of such farming methods, leading to a reduction of GHG emissions and toxic chemicals.

Additionally, the project will support improved management of high conservation value forests and restoration of forest lands in Chiang Rai and Ubon Ratchathani.

Kavita Sharma, who coordinates UNEP’s GEF portfolio on biodiversity and land degradation for the Asia region, said: “Getting this project ready to kick-off represents a significant effort by all parties involved. Inputs and cooperation with all actors are necessary to enable the Thai rice sector to achieve the project goals and transformational change towards climate and biodiversity resilient agriculture production and food systems.”

After completion of the session, a network of rice-producers in Thailand, including governmental and private sectors, farmers and communities, agreed to support and drive the national policy for upscaling environment-friendly rice and agricultural products in order to revitalise biodiversity and the overall ecosystem in Thailand. The launch of the project at the provincial level in Chiang Rai and Ubon Ratchathani took place in late May.