Environmental research

The project location is a village with 312 families of which 253 earn their living as farmers. Before 1982 , there were approximately 1,000 water buffaloes in used for agricultural land of about 300 ha. After 1982 there emerged the too large-commercial scale plantation of a non-indigenous species cassava prompting almost all farmers to sell their buffaloes for small tractors. The patterns of buffaloes use were obsolete. The use of diesel oil for tractors replace and the application of chemical substance in agriculture prevails. Evidently, these initiatives were caused by the belief that modern technology in terms of machine and chemical substance would maximize the yield. In fact, the farmers have not yet been very familiar with the modern technology so the new types of practices have caused adverse affect to the environment and their own livelihood. While the related expense is increasing , the price of agricultural product is not. Now with only 1 buffalo left and 100 small tractors in operation, the village consumes a lot of diesel oil and emits comparatively high rate of the green house gas. Established in 1997,the Integrated Farming Management Group has discussed the issue in every aspect and preferred water buffaloes to small tractors. This beast of burden will reduced the fuel consumption and provide manure which will subsequently reduce the expense and green house gas emission. Project goals or objectives (including GEF problem-area addressed by projects): 1.To reduce the emission rate of GHG by replacing small tractors by water buffaloes 2.To reduce the rate of application of chemical fertilizer / pesticide through buffalo manure 3.To revise local approach/knowledge regarding indigenous species and disseminate for later generation Activities to be carried out under project: 1.Building capacity of target population through open forums, study tours and participatory examination & data processing of surrounding ecological system 2.Demonstrating the rice cultivation by water buffaloes Project participants and/or beneficiaries: -20 members of the group -20 key leaders of gender issue -50 youth members -20 members from the less privilege group Anticipated results of project: 1.Reduction of Diesel fuel consumption by 1,500 litres/year 2.Reduction of expense for chemical fertilizer/pesticide by Baht: 40,000 / year

Thailand