Water resources policy and administrative management

Situated in the central region of Thailand s Tha Cheen Basin, the project location has been known as a part of rice and water granary of the country. Since 1972, farming practice has been modified from one crop a year to two and more i.e. five to six crops two years, prompting the introduction of farm machinery and chemical substance. With such intensive production, the application of chemical fertilizer has gradually increased i.e. from 60-90 kg/ha towards 1982 to 300-450 kg./ha at present time. Application of chemical pesticide is also in parallel intensive. Under the average slope of 1:1,000, the excessive chemical runoff is seeping to the river courses and the Gulf of Thailand /South China Sea. The accumulating effect of chemical residue is witnessed in human bodies and fish kill which, some years, amounting to nearly 10 tons. The population in the target area is 3,937 from 1,056 families with per capita income of Baht: 21,400: Instilling awareness ,building their capacity on less or no chemical production then put into practice will contribute a lot to reversing the degrading situation in the Tha Cheen River-the most polluted river in the country - then the Gulf of Thailand / South China Sea. Project goals or objectives (including GEF problem-area addressed by projects): 1.To protect the Tha Cheen River and the Gulf of Thailand by producing bio-chemical fertilizer to be used for paddy plantation and other crops 2.To promote CBOs and their network to partake in environmental conservation process Activities to be carried out under project: 1.Organizing training for project leaders and other stakeholders 2.Producing bio-fertilizer and substance 3.Disseminating & scaling up the impact through volunteering process of members, local government officers and farmers group Project participants and/or beneficiaries: 1. The Elder Entrepreneurial Association of Chainart Province 2. People Action Network of Chainart Province 3.Friend Help-Friend of Inburi, Singhburi Province 4.Environmental Health Divisions of participating municipality 5.Environmental Conservation Network of Uthaithani and Suphanburi Province Anticipated results of project: 1.Over 60 % of the target population are specifically educated on environment conservation 2.Produced bio-fertilizer for 160 ha in the first year and 480 ha in the following year 3.Emergence of able 20 trainers with 10 as the core group 4.More fishes in paddy fields 5.Emergence of collaboration of two Tambols outside project area 6.Emergence of network between Tambol Makhamthao and Tambol Nong Noi of Wat Singh District

Thailand