After decades of tending to their longan orchard in the Mueang Pan district of Lampang province, Nimit and Rattanaporn Yanaplook, now in their seventies, face one of the greatest challenges as their yields and income has withered away due to unpredictable weather patterns. Refusing to give up, the elderly couple decided to cultivate lac insects on their longan trees as a side hustle to make ends meet. Ultimately, they discovered that raising lac not only yielded far greater profits than selling longan ever had, but it was also remarkably low-maintenance, making it the perfect trade for their golden years.
The couple was part of a group of local farmers who participated the project entitled ‘Climate-Adapted Lac and Beekeeping Opportunities in Agroecosystems’. Led by Maejo University-Phrae Campus, this initiative was backed by the ThaiCI Fund, a collaboration between GIZ and the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), aiming to help longan and lychee growers across Lampang and Chiang Mai adapt to shifting climate conditions while securing a stable, sustainable income.
Driven by growing market demand, local wisdom and the region’s natural potential, agricultural agencies stepped in to revitalise lac farming in Lampang, with a fresh approach tailored to the landscape. They saw an untapped opportunity in the local longan and lychee orchards – staple crops increasingly battered by unpredictable heavy rains that left fruit stunted and falling early. Integrating lac insects into these degraded orchards can provide the sheltered conditions they need to thrive and boost local farmers’ incomes without requiring them to abandon their traditional crops.
Led by Associate Professor Teeka Yotapakdee from the Department of Applied Economics for Community Development and the Department of Digital Marketing at Maejo University Phrae Campus, this research spans Lampang and Chiang Mai to test lac and bee farming across contrasting landscapes – from high-altitude lychee orchards at 1,000-1,200 meters to lowland longan groves below 500 meters. Introducing lac to longan trees opens an innovative new frontier, while co-cultivating Asian honeybees and stingless bees yields a sweet bonus in seasonal longan honey. Because both lac insects and bees are acutely sensitive to smoke and chemical pesticides, their presence naturally steers growers toward eco-friendly, pesticide-free practices, creating an agroecological shield that builds climate resilience and secures local livelihoods amidst unpredictable weather.
Spanning a two-year timeline since its launch in 2025, the initiative is now actively monitoring the growth of lac insects following their release in high-altitude lychee orchards, while introducing parent stock into low-lying longan groves. Throughout this journey, the research team is working side by side with the farmers, offering close guidance and hands-on advice at every step. Beyond field trials, the project will conduct a thorough analysis of cost-effectiveness and supply chain management, from initial cultivation and harvesting to market sales, eventually, capturing key lessons learned to pass on to local communities and partner agencies for years to come.
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ThaiCI is a part of the Thai-German Cooperation on Energy, Mobility, and Climate (TGC EMC) project, financed by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), with the implementation period from December 2022 to December 2027. The primary goal of ThaiCI is to establish a climate-specific funding mechanism (ThaiCI Fund) under the Environment Fund, providing financial support for climate change projects through a call-for-proposal process. Additionally, ThaiCI aims to enhance stakeholder capacity in developing and managing climate change projects, ensuring more effective and sustainable climate action.
