Water resources policy and administrative management

The main occupation of target population, rice plantation by rain-fed, has been contributing to adding greenhouse gas to the world atmosphere and land degradation for several decades. Post-harvest field burning and denudation of soil have been too common a practice causing global warming and loss of soil fertility. The dry season temperature range has been found to be from 35-40 degrees. Adding insult to the injury, Chemical fertilizer/pesticide have heavily been applied to maintain the desired yields. The project will generate benefits to global environment by reversing land degradation through minimizing field burning and chemical application, managing agro-waste , and by stabilizing the emission rate of greenhouse gas. Besides, since the project location is situated in the vicinity of the degraded Pa Dong Larn National Park, a watershed of Chee River , an ecological of the Mekhong River, any environmentally-friendly activities will eventually benefit the integrity of the Mekhong. Project participants and/or beneficiaries: Apart from members of target villages, the following projects/organizations participate in the activities. 1.Pilot Project for Small-scale Farmers Development in Ecosystems of the Petchabun Range 2.Khonkaen Office of Land Reform 3.The Thailand Research Fund Activities to be carried out under project: - Holding seminars/workshops on agro-waste management and eco-friendly agricultural practice - Putting in to practice what are learnt from seminars /workshop -Holding seminar/meetings to analyze community problems affecting both local and global level, with subsequent formulating of community plan - Proclaiming fish conservation zone in Huay Sai Nang Creek Anticipated results/Immediate Output of project: -Produced fodder from agro-waste @ 200 tons/year -Produced compost @ 300 tons/year -Produced mushroom @ 600 kg. -Avoidance of burning of straw for 200 tons/year -Reduction of chemical fertilizer @ 10 tons/year -Availability of manure, organic compost for cultivated area of 80 ha for 52 target families -Increased number of earthworms -Increased paddy yield by approximately 30 % -Coordinated effort of wider community for solution of field burning problem -Increased number of fishes in the creek

Thailand